A man shot after a confrontation with sheriff’s deputies in Castaic responding to a domestic violence call was held to answer charges Friday.
A judge last week also ruled that the request by Raul Martinez’s defense for a mental health diversion in the case will be addressed June 23 at the defendant’s arraignment.
Martinez, 44, now stands charged with six felonies in connection to his alleged role in the Oct. 11 standoff with Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station personnel.
Martinez stands accused of assault with a firearm, false imprisonment, child abuse likely to cause serious injury, two counts of discharging of a firearm with gross negligence and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The criminal complaint filed Oct. 21 by the LASD’s Homicide Bureau, which investigates all officer-involved shootings, also notes Martinez’s previous convictions for robbery and domestic violence.
Deputies were responding to a domestic violence call that had involved a report Martinez kidnapped his estranged wife and 6-year-old son, who were in the car during the confrontation, according to court records.
Martinez and his wife separated earlier in 2024 after three years of marriage, according to court records. The victim reported Martinez had become increasingly paranoid in the leadup to the shooting, according to the report from investigators, who were seeking permission to collect more evidence from the suspect’s SUV.
“The 911 caller indicated a male was seen attempting to pull a female from a parked white SUV and threatening to use a .38 (firearm) if she didn’t comply,” according to the report from witness statements. “The female was also heard screaming. While the 911 caller was speaking with the sheriff’s dispatcher, a shot was heard in the background.”
Deputy Tarek Salah was the first to respond to the shots-fired call, which went out at 12:05 p.m. in the 28000 block of Parker Road, near Sloan Canyon, about 2 miles east of the Castaic High School campus where he’s assigned.
Ultimately, Martinez was wounded in a shooting with deputies before he was taken into custody. The Sheriff’s Department later released body-camera footage of the incident.
The victim told detectives that Martinez pulled her out of the vehicle against her will and threatened her, according to the detectives’ summary of the witness’ statements.
“The victim stated the suspect was in possession of a semiautomatic pistol and fired it into the air during their argument while their son sat in the backseat of the vehicle,” according to a detective’s affidavit. “The suspect also fired another round into the trunk area with the child still in the vehicle, prior to the deputy arriving.”
The sentencing enhancements and penalty range listed on Martinez’s complaint indicates he could face a 10-year sentence for any of his three assault-related charges.
