Felony charges filed against suspects in attempted murders

Felony complaints were filed Monday afternoon against the two suspects arrested in connection to a pair of attempted homicides on July 7, crimes that left two Yuma men hospitalized in critical condition.

In the complaint filed against him, Jesse Alvarez-Robledo, 33, of Yuma, was charged with two counts of of attempted first-degree murder. Annette Gomez, 28, also of Yuma, was charged with one count of hindering prosecution and one count of forgery in the complaint that was filed against her.

According to court records, Gomez allegedly reported the SUV used in the crime stolen and filled out a stolen vehicle report on it.

Alvarez-Robledo and Gomez were both arraigned before Yuma Justice of the Peace David Cooper, who ordered their bonds remain at $1.8 million, which he set at a previous hearing.

During the arraignment, a representative from the victim services division of the county attorney's office read a statement to the court from the mother of one of the victims.

"I just don't understand the type of human being that is capable of such rage and anger to do something like this to another human being," she read. "The pain and suffering this defendant has caused is enormous."

According to the victim's mother, her son needs 24-hour care, can't walk and his injuries include a fracture on the side of his face, a skull fracture, bleeding on his brain and blindness in one eye.

"It breaks my heart to see him now," she said.

Alvarez-Robledo and Gomez's next court appearances are preliminary hearings, scheduled for 4 p.m. July 17.

Yuma police investigation into the incident has revealed that a "gang-related disturbance" took place Tuesday between a group of people near the 400 block of West 15th Place.

At about 5:44 a.m. that morning, a Yuma police officer was flagged down by a citizen at 16th Street and 5th Avenue in reference to two injured men.

According to police, during the disturbance, Alvarez-Robledo assaulted James Flores, 21, of Yuma. Alvarez-Robledo then got into a red 2004 Ford Explorer and intentionally ran over Santana Martinez, 18, of Yuma.

Investigators say that Alvarez-Robledo then fled the scene, leaving the two injured men behind.

"There was a verbal exchange between the two parties and it led to a fight," said Officer Clint Norred, spokesman for the Yuma Police Department in a previous article. "Flores was hit with a blunt instrument. Afterwards Alvarez-Robledo got into the Explorer and drove over the curb and struck Martinez. He then fled the scene."

Flores and Martinez were transported to the Yuma Regional Medical Center with serious injuries and were later flown to Phoenix-area hospitals. Both are listed in critical condition, according to the Tuesday statement.

YPD investigators located the Ford Explorer in the 2000 block of South 10th Avenue Wednesday afternoon. The owner was identified as Gomez. She and Alvarez-Robledo were then located in the 8800 block of Avenida Del Prado. Both were arrested and booked into the Yuma County Detention Center.

Alvarez-Robledo was originally booked on two counts each of attempted homicide and aggravated assault. Gomez was booked for hindering prosecution.

The case remains under investigation.