State Police Apprehend Maine Fugitive at Goose Pond
State and local police and K9 Emma travel on Goose Pond.
Diego Martinez, 30, of Sabattus, Maine, was arrested on extraditable warrants for his failure to appear in court on illegal drug and firearm possession offenses, as well as for criminal motor vehicle offenses.
At approximately 7 a.m. Tuesday, troopers from the Lee and Westfield barracks responded to numerous calls reporting a single-vehicle crash on Route 90 eastbound in Becket.
Witnesses reported that a man exited the vehicle after crashing and fled the scene on foot. Martinez was identified as the likely operator of the crashed vehicle.
Troopers immediately enlisted the assistance of the State Police K9 Unit and Air Wing, state Environmental Police, Becket Police and a K9, and Lee Police in order to search the area.
Law enforcement teams scouted the woods for several miles on Tuesday.
At approximately 12:30 p.m., troopers received information that Martinez may have been in the area of Goose Pond, at which point numerous troopers and officers converged on the area.
Becket Police Chief Kristopher McDonough transported troopers and MSP K9 Emma on a boat to the area while numerous other troopers and officers walked along trails in order to approach from multiple angles.
At approximately 8:30 p.m., they converged on a cabin at Goose Pond. Members of the search team observed the suspect on the front porch of the cabin. K9 Trooper Norman Stanikmas, Emma's handler, issued warnings that Emma would be deployed to apprehend the suspect if he did not surrender, while he and other troopers and local police officers advanced toward the porch
Martinez surrendered without incident and was placed into custody. He was transported by boat to a state police cruiser and transported to the Lee barracks for booking. He was ordered to be held without bail pending his appearance at Southern Berkshire District Court in North Adams. He is expected to be extradited to Maine. where he will be brought before a judge for the aforementioned warrants.
Multiagency cooperation was instrumental in placing Martinez under arrest.
