August 9th, 2011
Two men jailed, marijuana seized after police chase

Pedro Alvarado-Martinez, left, and Fernando Lopez Rivera, right. Photo courtesy of the Hays County Sheriff

STAFF REPORT

A recent police traffic stop by county police led to the seizure of about 260 pounds of marijuana and the arrest of two men.

On July 28, Hays County Sheriff’s Deputy Jay Wheeler conducted a traffic stop on a grey Ford pickup truck at the intersection of Highway 21 and Gristmill Road in Uhland.

As Wheeler made contact with the passenger, the truck fled on Farm to Market Road 2720 in the direction of Lockhart, and Wheeler gave chase. The truck then turned onto a private driveway and crashed through a wire fence. The driver, 37-year-old Pedro Alvarado-Martinez, abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot. Other police officers, who had responded to Wheeler’s request for assistance,
apprehended Alvarado-Martinez a short distance away.

Police searched the truck and discovered a large quantity of marijuana packaged in brown wrapping tape and concealed in duffle bags. Police later found the marijuana weighed approximately
260 pounds.

Police charged Alvarado-Martinez, with Possession of Marijuana over 50 pounds but under 2,000 pounds (a second degree felony) and Evading Arrest with a motor vehicle (a state jail felony).

Police charged the truck’s passenger, 38-year-old Fernando Lopez Rivera, with Possession of Marijuana over 50 pounds but under 2,000 pounds, a 2nd degree felony.

Police are holding Rivera and Alvarado-Martinez at the Hays County Jail.

The court set Rivera’s bond at $250,000.00. The court set Alvarado-Martinez’s bond set at $250,000 for the second degree felony and $25,000 for the state jail felony.