Joel Martin is led into First Judicial District Court Thursday by Los Alamos Detention Center staff. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

One of two men charged with aggravated assault on a police officer appeared in the First Judicial District Court today for a dangerousness hearing to determine whether he should be held without bond until his release is addressed by the District Court.

Joel Martin, 30, of Albuquerque, also was charged Aug. 25 with aggravated fleeing of a police officer, reckless driving, accidents involving damage to vehicles, criminal damage to property and shoplifting more than $250 and less than $2,500. Martin and Stephen Montano, 22, of Grants, were arrested by Los Alamos Police Department shortly after they fled from Smith’s Marketplace in a stolen pick-up and attempted to run down LAPD Cpl. Robert Larsen. One shot was fired by police during the incident and the truck struck two cars and several mail boxes. No injuries have been reported.

Montano also was charged with the same counts as Martin and two active bench warrants from Cibola County. Both men had their first appearances Monday before Los Alamos Magistrate Judge Pat Casados

Today’s hearing was on an expedited motion filed by Deputy District Attorney Kent Wahlquist, which states that while fleeing the scene of a shoplifting incident, Martin was stopped by Cpl. Larsen, ignored his commands and drove a vehicle at him nearly striking him. After narrowly missing Larsen, it states that Martin drove off the street running over multiple mail boxes before crashing into vehicles where the vehicle became inoperable.

The motion says Martin ran from the scene and when found by LAPS officers, again tried to run away but officers were able to arrest him. Martin allegedly admitted to driving the vehicle and a gun was found near where he was apprehended. The motion said Martin made statements over jailhouse telephone calls that he had the gun and tried to dispose of it before he was arrested.

Wahlquist maintained that no condition of release will reasonably protect the safety of others and the community itself. At today’s hearing, the Public Defender told Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer that he had just received the case Wednesday and had not had adequate time to discuss it with Martin. He said Martin waived his right to have a dangerousness hearing within five days of his arrest and that he agreed to a 60-day limit.

Judge Marlowe Sommer set the hearing for 4 p.m. Sept. 28. Wahlquist asked for an order of remand to make sure Martin would not be released prior to then even though once he filed the dangerousness motion it divests the Los Alamos County Detention Center of the authority to release him.

“My concern is that this is the first one that has ever been filed in Los Alamos under the new (Supreme Court) rule and I don’t know if the jail is very familiar with that rule. I spoke to the administrator and I think he understands that he can’t release him. I just want to make sure,” Wahlquist said.