A car salesman in Houston, Texas had to fight for his life when a “customer” on a test drive physically attacked him in an attempt to steal the car. But the car salesman, Jose Martinez, wasn’t going down without a fight.
Jose Martinez, 22, is a car salesman at Gillman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Houston, Texas.
Coming up at noon: Mom of kidnapped car salesman talks- "He wasn't going to just lay there" https://t.co/mJgkD0gApw pic.twitter.com/cAQK3uFKkT
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) January 5, 2016
Credit: @KHOU / Twitter
On Jan. 4, Martinez would be left to fight for his life after a test drive gone terribly wrong.
Around 6 p.m. on Monday night, a “customer” came to the dealership and asked Martinez if he could test drive a Dodge Challenger.
Texas car salesman kidnapped, beaten during test drive: Police https://t.co/VU5wty7oLW pic.twitter.com/doig6IgqYL
— NBC DFW (@NBCDFW) January 6, 2016
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During the test drive, the “customer” drove down a dark, small road. Martinez became suspicious of the “customer” and asked for the keys to the car. Moments later, two other people showed up and attacked Martinez.
Jose Martinez, young car salesman attacked during a test drive, is awake and talking https://t.co/VcQaY3qDbu #KHOU pic.twitter.com/1YouXedvjN
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) January 5, 2016
Credit: @KHOU / Twitter
Martinez was tied up with tape and his own belt before being thrown in the trunk, which he was able to get out of almost instantly.
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“I asked them why they were doing it while I was in the trunk. They told me to stop asking questions,” Martinez told KHOU. “They were taping me up and I said do you want money? What do you need? Let me go you can have the car. They said ‘No, you’re coming with us.'”
Luckily, Martinez had the awareness to call his general manger to let him know what was happening.
A Houston car salesman is kidnapped, beaten and stuffed in a trunk on a test drive. https://t.co/dA2FS8jXlL pic.twitter.com/MXy8lMV5gk
— Car Pro USA (@CarProShow) January 6, 2016
Credit: @CarProShow / Twitter
He even sent a friend his current location and activated GPS tracking on his phone so people would know where he was.
At some point, the kidnappers stopped the car because they heard Martinez escaping.
#Houston car salesman kidnapped and assaulted during test drive https://t.co/Vjl5ZWGjFU pic.twitter.com/5uoNit1is3
— NewsFix (@NewsFixHouston) January 6, 2016
Credit: @NewsFixHouston / Twitter
He knew that it was his chance to escape and he took it.
Martinez popped the trunk from the inside and was chased by the three men. That’s when one attacker dropped a gun. Martinez picked it up and fired at his attackers.
Houston Car Salesman Kidnapped On Dodge Challenger Test Drive #Used-cars, Carshttps://t.co/kuNpVSZNTk View thousa… pic.twitter.com/QkQ8EsGx1j
— UsedCars4sa (@UsedCars4sa) January 6, 2016
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Once he fired at the suspects, it forced them to RUN AWAY.
Here’s a “reenactment” of Martinez’s epic escape.
Credit: Mike Tyson Mysteries / Adult Swim / miketysonmysteries / Giphy
The three suspects ran from Martinez and stole the car which was later found abandoned. Authorities are still looking for the three men, but Martinez says he never got a good look at their faces.
