Closely guarded by deputies, Valdez does not enter plea
GILROY
A man accused of trying to kill a police officer was whisked into and out of court Friday morning for a continuance of his case until Dec. 14.
Pete Joseph Valdez III appeared for only a few minutes at the San Martin Courthouse and delayed entering a plea for two weeks. The 28-year-old was denied bail last week and 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 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 Valdez, he took off.
Ballard caught up with Valdez – who has ten prior convictions including three felony convictions for a strong-arm robbery – 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.
At the courthouse while Superior Court Judge Hector Ramon continued more than two-dozen cases, Valdez was not allowed to sit in the juror’s box – as other inmates did. Instead, sheriff’s deputies brought Valdez into the courtroom just before his case was called and sent him out immediately following its continuance.
He faced the judge the entire time, barely giving the eight people who came out to support him a glimpse of his face.
