Officers keeping a close eye on biker gangs
The arrest of an apparent member of the Mongol motorcycle gang Tuesday has local law enforcement officials wondering if the increased presence of motorcycle gangs in South County is more than a summertime occurrence.
“It is not a cause for concern for the community, but we have been noticing more of these individuals from the motorcycle clubs around town,” Morgan Hill Police Cmdr. Joe Sampson said Thursday. “Other cities are having more difficulty … Right now, it is hard to tell if this is just a temporary situation. Just since the summer started, we have started to see a little more activity. Gilroy has been dealing with some of these issues this past year, as well as Hollister.”
Sampson said Steve Martinez, 53, of Morgan Hill was originally stopped for speeding at approximately 12:30am.
“One of our officers saw a motorcycle speeding on Monterey Road and began to initiate a stop in the area of Monterey and Cosmo (Avenue),” he said. “The motorcyclist failed to yield and ended up going all the way to Peak Ave.”
Sampson said Martinez pulled into a driveway on Peak Ave. and got off the motorcycle. The officer noticed Martinez’s jacket had “the patchwork from the Mongol motorcycle club.”
While Martinez originally refused to identify himself or produce his driver’s license, Sampson said, when other officers arrived for backup, he was recognized.
“It was determined his license was suspended, and he was issued a citation for driving on a suspended license,” Sampson said. “His vehicle was going to be impounded as a result, and as officers were conducting an inventory search before the tow truck arrived, they found a Baretta .22 caliber semi-automatic, loaded, in the saddlebag, as well as three loaded magazines, additional magazines.”
Sampson said officers also found three knives – a 6-inch blade knife, a 4-inch folding blade and a 6-inch locking switchblade, also called a gravity knife – in Martinez’s pockets.
Martinez was cited and released on charges of driving on a suspended license, possession of weapons, possession of a loaded weapon and possession of a gravity knife, all misdemeanors because Martinez was not on parole or probation.
Under these charges, Sampson said, Martinez could face fines plus jail time, but if he does not have prior charges, he may be fined and put on probation for one to three years.
While the charges against Martinez are minor, law enforcement officials in South County and San Benito County have noticed more activity from the rival motorcycle gangs the Hell’s Angels and Mongols.
During this year’s Mushroom Mardi Gras, there was a “significant gathering” of both the Mongols and the Hell’s Angels, Sampson said. Officers approached the groups, and a Sheriff’s Office helicopter flew low over the group in a show of force. The two groups left without incident, Sampson said, except they told officers they did not appreciate the extra attention.
At the Hollister Independence Day Rally over the July 4 weekend, police officers were out in force monitoring the two gangs. Police escorted a group of as many as 30 Mongols walking past a congregation of Hell’s Angels that Saturday. Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller said he believed a strong police presence prevented a fight. The leader of the San Jose chapter of the Hell’s Angels and the leader of the Gilroy chapter of the Mongols both live in Hollister.
The rivalry between the two gangs was displayed during a motorcycle gathering in Laughlin, Nev., in 2002, where scores of the bikers rioted. Three people were reportedly shot and numerous others were injured in the fight.
Sampson said Tuesday’s arrest doesn’t mean biker gangs have infiltrated the city, but does give local police officers a reason to pay more attention to the bikers’ presence.
“We will keep our eyes open, our ears to the ground, have some intelligence gathering taking place,” Sampson said. “Our main concern is that should there be violence between the clubs, that it could spill out into the general population. We certainly don’t want anyone hurt or involved in violence, but especially not the innocent bystander.”
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at md****@*************es.com or phoning (408)779-4106 Ext. 202.
