Hate crime suspect charged
A 33- year- old Paradise woman was charged with a hate crime Friday in Butte County Superior Court while she being arraigned on DUI and assault charges, Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said Saturday night.
According to Ramsey’s office, Paradise Police arrested Martina Marie Garcia, 33, on the afternoon of March 30 for driving under the influence of alcohol and assault with a deadly weapon ( her vehicle) after making racially derogatory slurs as she drove her vehicle toward an African American traffic flagger.
Ramsey said in a press release, Garcia allegedly sped her Ford Explorer SUV north through a traf f ic- controlled work zone in the 5500 block of Scottwood Road (a normal 25 mph zone) in Paradise at approximately 4050 miles per hour while workers were trying to clear trees.
It’s alleged that as the traffic control flagger was holding a “Slow” sign Garcia sped through the work zone with a beer to her mouth and making an obscene gesture. Workers also alleged that a passenger in the front seat, later identified as Garcia’s brother, made a similar gesture.
Two minutes later, workers allege she returned driving south in the same car, however, this time the flagger was holding a “stop” sign. Ramsey said workers claim that she accelerated to 50- 60 mph, swerving her vehicle at the flagger, and yelled racial epithets at him. Ramsey said that the flagger had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck by Garcia.
A f ter a co - worker called 911 and fol - lowed her unt i l she stopped in front of her home and Paradise police arrived, Ramsey said, she was arrested for the DUI charges and the assault. Her brother, Antonia Burgos, 43, was arrested for being drunk in public and for violation of his parole for drinking.
Ramsey said in a press release that the hate crime allegation was added by his office after the police reports came in and it appeared the assault was motived by hate directed at a minority. The hate crime allegation adds up to three additional years of state prison time to a potential four years state prison time for the assault.
Garcia was arraigned on the charges in Butte County Superior Court and is scheduled to be back in court with her attorney Wednesday at 8:30 a. m. for further arraignment/entry of plea. After she returned to the jail yesterday, jail records show she bailed out on $55,000 bail.