Full Notification

On March 6th, 2015, at approximately 6:50 p.m, Morgan Hill Police were dispatched to traffic collision involving a pedestrian on Tennant Ave near Juan Hernandez Dr. While responding to the call, Officers learned an off-duty MHPD officer had witnessed the same collision and followed the suspect vehicle as it fled the scene. The off-duty officer followed the suspect and detained him near his home in Morgan Hill. Officers responded to both locations to investigate the incident.

While at the collision scene, officers learned the suspect vehicle was traveling westbound on Tennant Ave from 101. As the suspect vehicle approached Juan Hernandez Dr, the vehicle drifted to the right shoulder of the roadway colliding into the rear of a parked vehicle. At the time of the collision, the driver of the parked vehicle was standing to the rear of his car while his juvenile passenger was located inside the car. After the collision, the suspect driver continued traveling westbound on Tennant Ave then northbound on Juan Hernandez Dr where he was later detained by an off-duty officer. Responding officers and EMS personnel rendered first aid however the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim was a 37 year old male resident of Gilroy. The victim’s juvenile passenger was transported to a local trauma center by paramedics and later released to a family member. The victim’s identification is being withheld until notification can be made to the victim’s next of kin.

During the investigation, Officers determined the driver of the suspect vehicle was under the influence of alcohol and he was taken into custody for DUI. Edgar Benitez Martinez of Morgan Hill, was booked into Santa Clara County Jail.


Anyone that may have witnessed this collision are encouraged to contact Sergeant Bill Norman at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line 408.947-STOP (7867).