Man suspected in auto parts theft killed trying
to run down detectives in police car

Policeone Staff Report

11/07/2000
(MANTECA, Calif.) -- Two sheriff's detectives shot 
and killed a man who had attempted to run them over
in their own car, according to police.

Martin Jay Richter, 39, was pronounced dead on 
the scene after detectives Kevin Ming, 40, and
Lawrence Gardiman, 44, fired between six and 
20 rounds into the windshield of their car as the
suspect drove toward them, the Modesto Bee 
reported Saturday.

On Nov. 3 the detectives arrested Richter, who is 
described by the detectives as having a wiry
physique, on suspicion that he was responsible for 
the rash of gasoline and auto parts thefts from
area farms. He was handcuffed and placed in the
back seat of the police car while Ming, a 13-year
veteran, and Gardiman, who has 11 years on the force, 
collected evidence from his pickup truck.

Using his build to big advantage, Richter climbed into 
the driver's seat of the car and put it in reverse,
both officers' drew their weapons, according to the Bee, 
and ordered him to stop.

Richter then put the car in drive and started driving at 
the detectives striking Ming in the left side. He was
not seriously injured.

It was then that officers began shooting.

"He had plenty of room and opportunity to continue in 
reverse and get out of there," sheriffs spokesman Joe 
Herrera told the Bee. "But I'm not in a position to
speculate, because the protocol team is conducting the
investigation."

That team, comprised of the Sheriff's Department, 
district attorney's office, Manteca police and state
Department of Justice, are investigating the shooting 
to determine if the detectives' actions were justified.

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