Martin trampled gifts under tree, woman says

A man who stomped presents under a Christmas tree before leading lawmen on a high-speed chase has been bound to the grand jury on charges he tried to run over officers as he was making his getaway from his holiday tirade.

The suspect, Travis Dewayne Martin, 26, was bound to the grand jury Tuesday by General Sessions Judge Larry Ross on charges of resisting stop, domestic assault, and felony charges of reckless endangerment, evading arrest, and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle.

His charges come for crimes he allegedly committed four days before Christmas, beginning when he entered the home of his ex-girlfriend at Green Acres Apartments. According to the woman, Martin came into her apartment and started ransacking her house.

‘He knocked over the Christmas tree and stepped on the presents,’ the victim swore in a warrant taken against Martin for domestic assault, noting he struck her sister on the side of her head as he was leaving, the blow leaving a swollen spot on her head.

Police found Martin in the apartment parking lot and ordered him to stop. However, according to officer Josh Sparkman, the fleeing suspect got into his vehicle and started it up.

‘The suspect got into his car and refused to get out and almost ran over me,’ Sparkman said of the incident, noting he felt Martin intentionally tried to hit him with his vehicle.

The officers at the scene noted he almost hit two patrol cars as he fled the parking lot while running over a mailbox. Martin led lawmen on a short chase, during which he was able to get away. However, he would later turn himself in after evading capture in the chase.