SANTA ANA : Ex-Inmate Rams His Car Into Jail Gates

A 30-year-old former jail inmate, allegedly high on cocaine, rammed his car several times into gates at the county jail and coroner’s office Monday night, police and sheriff’s officials said Tuesday.

James Alan Martens of San Clemente was seen by off-duty sheriff’s deputies deliberately driving his car into the main gate entrance of the jail’s intake/release center at 550 N. Flower St., said sheriff’s Lt. Dan Martini.

Martens then backed up his car and rammed the gate a second time before driving into the parking lot of the coroner’s office, located at the same address, and ramming into the gate entrance there.

Martens was arrested at the scene. He was taken to Orange County Jail on suspicion of damaging county property and for allegedly being under the influence of drugs. He was cited and released, jail officials said.

Santa Ana police Lt. Robert Helton, whose department assisted in the arrest, said authorities have not been able to determine the motive for Martens’ actions. He was briefly incarcerated in the county jail in 1992 after being arrested on charges of robbery, burglary and grand theft--charges on which he was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison, according to the state Department of Corrections.

“He does have a criminal record,” Helton said. “It could be him just taking out his frustration and anger toward authority.”