Special to The Post

DA Pamela Price has charged Elias Nathaniel Jimenez, 22, and co-defendant Maria Rosalia Martinez, 43, with multiple felonies for an alleged freeway shooting in the City of Hayward.

Both defendants are charged with one count of attempted murder, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, an additional count of shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, and possession of a large capacity magazine, among other charges. In addition, Jimenez is charged with two special allegations: use of a firearm and use of a loaded unregistered firearm.

The criminal complaint alleges that on or about Aug. 6, Jimenez and Martinez shot into another vehicle that was occupied by an adult and an underage passenger traveling on Interstate 880.

“These allegations involve shooting from a moving vehicle at another car driving on the freeway, which is beyond dangerous,” said Price. “The charges, which include enhancements, reflect the seriousness of these alleged crimes and my commitment to hold those accountable who use guns in our community for such senseless and violent acts.”

If convicted and sentenced of all charges, Jimenez faces a maximum of 23 years and 9 months in state prison while Martinez faces a maximum of 13 years and 2 months in state prison. Both defendants are scheduled to appear for a bail hearing on August 27 in Department 112 at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse.

This story comes from The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office media office.

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By Ken Epstein

A broad, diverse coalition has come together to mobilize local communities to vote against the recalls of two East Bay reform-minded leaders, who could potentially be thrown out of office in November after serving less than two years in office.

The recall effort is a result of multi-million-dollar campaigns that the coalition says are fueled by fearmongering with funding from a Piedmont financier and promoted by a public relations campaign in the corporate media.

Opposing the recalls of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and labeling the efforts as a new form of voter suppression, the coalition, “Respect Our Vote – No Recalls!” kicked off its organizing efforts last Saturday, Aug. 17, with a mass, public meeting, attended by over 100 people in East Oakland at At Thy Word Ministries Church, 8915 International Blvd. in East Oakland.

Servant B.K. Woodson, Sr., pastor of the Bay Area Christian Connection in Oakland and chair of the coalition, links the surging national movement to reject the fearmongering and hateful agenda advocated by Donald Trump and the rightwing authoritarian proposals of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 to their own battle against the efforts to unseat progressive leaders in Oakland and Alameda County.

“This is a powerful moment, (and) across the nation you can feel it,” he said. “There’s joy, there’s hope, there’s expectation. We Oaklanders are at the center of the universe right now because the joy that’s bubbling up against the antipathy and the anger and the mindlessness, the battle for hope is being waged right here (against those) who profit by our poverty.”

“This is the inaugural event of ‘Respect Our Vote – No Recalls!’  because we want all people’s votes to be respected,” Pastor Woodson continued. “We are a diverse coalition, and we are open to more.”

The coalition already has the participation of the Wellstone and John George Democratic clubs, the Latino Task Force, and the Asian Americans for a Progressive Alameda, as well as active involvement of African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, whites, and others, he said.

“(Together), we want to expose what’s happening,” Woodson said. “The vehicle of recall (was intended to be) a people’s device against entrenched power (but) has been co-opted by billionaires,” who have funded these campaigns.

Those attending the meeting raised concerns about  Foundational Oakland Unites, a political action committee that received $605,000 from Piedmont financier Philip Dreyfuss, which contributed $480,000 to back the Sheng Thao recall.

Dreyfuss also contributed to recall Price. A political action committee, Supporters of Recall Pamela Price, which Dreyfuss helped create, received about $400,000 to  pay for signature-gathering, as well as a $200,000 loan.

Other speakers at the rally included Stewart Chen, president of the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council; Carmen Peng of Asian Americans for Progressive Alameda;  Jess Inson, lead organizing fellow for Oakland Rising Action;  Chaney Turner, chair of the City of Oakland’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission;  and Mariano Contreras, member of the Latino Task Force and co-chair of the African American Latino Action Alliance.

Contreras said in past decades, voter suppression was mostly designed to keep African Americans, immigrants, and poor people from being able to vote.

“(But) now we’re seeing a new type of voter suppression, the denial of our vote after we cast it,” he said.

“The recall process was (originally) designed to ensure that elected officials would represent the interests of their constituents. But the recall process has been hijacked by shadowy, conservative money that finds defeated candidates (and others) who are willing to deny you and me our vote as we originally cast it,” he said.

“This is a new, dangerous voter suppression that exists right here in our city,” he said, adding that: “We are seeing the use of fear and misinformation to attract spokespeople to promote attacks and charges that are nothing more than smokescreens to roll back progressive alliances that have been built in our local government.”

Chen said that there has been a “false narrative” about rampant crime, which is a “bunch of baloney.”

There have long been problems with crime in Oakland, and the recalls against Price and Thao began shortly after they were elected and before they had a chance to do much, he said.  “Unequivocally, the people who lost wanted their candidates to win. These are sour grapes.”

“This is undemocratic. We have to stand together, unite together,” Chen said. “That’s why I’m here.”

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The preliminary hearing in the case of Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le’s murder concluded with Hon. Judge Delia Trevino finding sufficient evidence for the three defendants, Sebron Russell, Mark Demetrious Sanders, and Allen Starr Brown, to stand trial for the Dec. 29, 2023, shooting death of Officer Tuan Le.

The court also found that the evidence supports commercial burglary charges against the fourth defendant, Marquis Copper. Trevino stated that she reviewed the case law and considered the roles of each individual when making her decision.

The Court found that the prosecution team for the Alameda County District Attorney’s office presented sufficient evidence to show that defendants Sanders, Brown, and Russell “knew or should have known” that Officer Tuan Le was a peace officer engaged in his duties at the time of his murder. Based on that finding, Sanders faces a possible life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Sanders will face trial for multiple crimes, including murder with special allegations of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury, and special circumstances, including the murder of a peace officer engaged in duties and “drive-by” murder and second-degree burglary.

Brown will also stand trial for murder with special allegations of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm, causing great bodily injury, and second-degree burglary.

Russell will also stand trial for multiple crimes, including murder, with a special allegation of felony murder and three counts of second-degree burglary.

The Court found that Copper was not a major participant in the murder of Officer Tuan Le. Based on the evidence, however, Trevino ordered Copper to stand trial for three counts of second-degree burglary. His bail is set at $75,000.

The specially assigned vertical prosecution team included Assistant District Attorney Elgin Lowe and Deputy District Attorney Angelina Clay, Inspector Todd Bergeron, and Victim Witness Advocate Aurelia Moreno, supported by the assigned investigators at the Oakland

Police Department and the FBI. Alameda County District Attorney Price expressed her gratitude for the hard work of all those involved in securing justice for Le’s family and many friends.

Defendants Sanders, Brown, and Russell are scheduled to appear at 9 a.m.in Department 11 at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland on Aug. 28 to stand trial for the murder of Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le.

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