Santa Maria Police identify Jose Luis Martinez Cruz as the victim in July 28 homicide Wednesday
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SANTA MARIA, Calif. – On Wednesday, the Santa Maria Police Department identified 35-year-old Jose Luis Martinez Cruz as the victim in an assault turned homicide on July 28.
A 30-year-old Santa Maria man was arrested and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on a charge of violating Penal Code 187-Murder after attempting to flee from law enforcement near the Highway 101 and Highway 166 interchange and crashing into a marked police car on the evening of July 28 shared the Santa Maria Police Department.
The case has now been forwarded to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office for prosecution detailed the Santa Maria Police Department.