Pete Valdez will appear at the South County Courthouse in May
after a discovery hearing in April
GILROY
A judge scheduled a preliminary hearing this morning for Pete Joseph Valdez III, the man accused of trying to shoot a Gilroy police officer in the face.
Valdez, 28, briefly appeared at the South County Courthouse in San Martin Friday for the third time since his arrest last winter. Superior Court Judge Hector Ramon scheduled the preliminary hearing for 1:30 p.m. May 2. The defense will have a chance to investigate the county’s case beforehand, though, at a discovery hearing at 9 a.m. April 18.
Last time Valdez appeared in court Jan. 22, his privately hired defense attorney, Brendt Ingo Brauer, successfully requested a continuance to address evidence presented by Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Mark Hood. Hood did not appear in court Friday, though, as Deputy District Attorney Patricia Henley filled in for him.
Valdez faces felony charges of attempted murder of a police officer, assault of a police officer with a firearm, being a felon in possession of a gun, and delaying or resisting a police officer. If convicted of these charges Valdez, who was denied bail three months ago, would spend the rest of his life in prison.
About 3 a.m. Nov. 15, Gilroy police officer John Ballard noticed Valdez biking east on West Eighth Street without a headlight and on the wrong side of the road, police said. When Ballard tried to stop him, Valdez took off.
Ballard caught up with Valdez a few blocks later and a foot chase ensued, police said. During the pursuit, Valdez punched and kicked the officer, then pulled a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun loaded with seven hollow-point bullets. Valdez aimed the gun at Ballard’s face and repeatedly pulled the trigger, but the gun jammed and did not fire.
Ballard resumed fighting with Valdez while another officer arrived and helped subdue and arrest Valdez. In an interview after the incident, Valdez said he pulled the gun in hopes that an officer would shoot and kill him.
“I don’t want to live,” said a crying Valdez, according to a police report.
Valdez has 10 prior convictions including three felony convictions for a strong-arm robbery.
Valdez is the son of former 16-year Gilroy councilman Pete Valdez Jr., who has been present at his son’s three previous court appearances.
