People get arrested and prosecuted in Santa Ana for a lot of reasons but this case takes the cake. Joe Martin Rodriguez, a 41-year-old man, will serve two years in prison for threatening two gay roommates in Santa Ana at knifepoint on the Fourth of July and slashing the tires of one victim’s vehicle.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty to a felony count of making criminal threats and a misdemeanor hate crime charge. He was sentenced on Tuesday, but the sentence was light as he was given 418 days credit for time served in custody, according to the O.C. Register.
Rodriguez flipped out on the last 4th of July because he believed that one of his roommates was using his bathroom. Rodriguez proceeded to pound on the bathroom door with an 8- to 9-inch silver blade knife with a brown handle. He also made anti-gay slurs and threatened to kill his roommates, according to the SAPD.
Then Rodriguez doubled down when he pulled out a handgun and pointed it at one or two of the victims while making more homophobic remarks and threatening to kill both of them.
But he was not done yet. Rodriguez slashed the tires of one victim’s vehicle, before getting into a car with a friend and speeding off.
It did not pan out for Rodriguez as the SAPD found the car car and ordered the driver to pull over. Rodriguez then jumped out of the vehicle and tried to run away. But a police helicopter crew found him and he was subsequently arrested.
The Judge should have also ordered Rodriguez to take anger management classes.
These 2 been at it since day one.. (about 10 years ago.) They just didn’t get along. Being gay has nothing to do with it. People act so innocent as if they NEVER said words to hurt people. Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.
Well not in this case.