People v. Pedro Jimenez Madriz, East Palo Alto Police Department
On June 7, 2021, a jury convicted Defendant Pedro Jimenez Madriz of attempted murder, shooting from a motor vehicle, fleeing a police officer causing serious bodily injury and active participation in a criminal street gang, all of which occurred in 2017. The jury also found the special allegation of discharge of a firearm inflicting great bodily injury during the attempted murder to be true.
At approximately 1:15 PM on February 21, 2017, Defendant Madriz, a passenger in a Prius, shot victim Hernandez in a drive-by shooting as Hernandez was riding his bicycle on University Avenue in East Palo Alto. Madriz and Hernandez knew each other for years and both been members of a criminal street gang, which had since split into two rival factions. A violent rivalry then arose between the two gangs. As a result of the shooting, Hernandez suffered a fractured pelvis but survived.
On February 25, 2017, Defendant Madriz was one of four passengers in a car during an attempted traffic stop by the East Palo Alto Police Department. At the outset of the chase, Madriz said he could not be stopped as he held up a gun and told the occupants of the car he had a warrant out for attempted murder. The car fled at speeds reaching 65-70 miles per hour and crashed after hitting a tree. A 14-year-old female and an 18-year-old female both suffered fractured pelvises as a result of the crash. A handgun was found where Madriz was sitting.
The prosecutor was Deputy Brian Donnellan and the Investigating officer was San Mateo County Sherriff’s Deputy Sean Harper.