A Deltona man wanted by authorities was arrested after he beat a 67-year-old military veteran with a bamboo stick, knocked him unconscious and threatened to kill him, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Christian Martinez, 31, was wanted on charges of trafficking heroin before the beating happened, deputies said.
A detective responded to AdventHealth Fish Memorial Hospital in Orange City Wednesday to meet with the beating victim, who suffered fractures to his neck and back, authorities said.
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The victim told detectives he was at his Gainsboro Street home in Deltona Tuesday at about 10 a.m. when Martinez showed up and got into an argument with the victim’s roommate, a 42-year-old woman.
As the argument escalated, the victim stepped in to try to calm things down, deputies said. Martinez picked up a large piece of bamboo and started to beat the victim, who was knocked unconscious, investigators said.
When the victim regained consciousness, he said Martinez was standing over him holding a black semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine, a news release said. The victim said Martinez told him he’d kill him if he reported the incident to law enforcement.
The release said the victim went inside and laid in bed for a few hours before he got a ride to the hospital.
Martinez was found Wednesday evening at a home on Fieldstone Avenue by the Sheriff’s Office’s Deltona Narcotics Enforcement Team, and was placed under arrest, deputies said.
Detectives said they found about 11 grams of heroin, a Glock .40-caliber handgun, several .40 and .380 rounds, a high-capacity .40-caliber magazine, some marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a scale and ledger. The Glock was reported stolen out of Pennsylvania.
Martinez was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon and ammunition by a convicted felon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, intimidating/threatening a victim, armed trafficking in heroin, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana under 20g.
According to a news release: “Martinez, a five-time convicted felon over the past three years, was released from state prison in 2018 after serving about one year for burglary.”
Martinez remains in the Volusia County Branch Jail without bail.
Cox Media Group
