Car Salesman Goes On Test Drive, Ends Up Getting Kidnapped Instead


ABC 13 of Houston, Texas, reports that at around 6 p.m. yesterday in Houston, Jose Martinez, car salesman, 22, was the victim of a test drive kidnapping. He says that a man walked inside the Gillman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram dealership, where he works, to test-drive a Dodge Challenger.

The man asking for the a test drive, whom he did not trust to begin with, led him to two other accomplices during their ride, making it a total of three involved, contrary to previous reports.

“I knew that guy was a little sketch when I first met him. He kept on talking weird and I thought let’s just go on a quick test drive and come back,” Martinez said.

They went on their test drive, and then he says he noticed two men in another car tailing them. The man driving his car allegedly pulled over and shortly after that, the salesman says he was ambushed by the two men in the car behind him and the man he was riding with.

A battered Martinez laments on the test drive kidnapping incident,

From the trunk, he called 911 to report the kidnapping and downloaded the”Find my iPhone” app for re-assurance. Martinez’s manager tracked the phone utilizing the app.

“I was in there for like five minutes and I thought this is not going to happen so I was already setting up my phone and I called the cops and let them know what car I was in what description it was,” the car salesman said.

One of the kidnappers was allegedly armed. After the drivers stopped, Martinez says he took advantage of this by disarming the kidnapper after escaping from the trunk. He says he disarmed the kidnapper and shot him in the back of the neck.

Martinez described the men as tall, black, and skinny, but says he “didn’t get to see the other guy who was driving” because he could not get a clear view at him. However, he did say that he looked to be about 6’5.

After shots were fired, and the kidnappers’ plans foiled. They drove off and left Martinez. Martinez had left his phone inside of the car among all of the chaos which had just ensued. This allowed police to use his phone to track the kidnappers via GPS location.

When police finally caught up with the kidnappers during the chase, they lost the assailants after they hit a postal truck. When police went to check on them — they had seemingly vanished.

Police picked up Martinez off of the freeway and drove him the hospital to treat his injuries. Martinez suffered a broken nose and multiple bruises, but is currently in stable physical condition.

It’s not everyday that you go into work as a car salesman, head out for a routine test drive, and end up battered and locked in the back of a Dodge Challenger as a kidnapping victim.

A bizarre story indeed, but it’s even more unfathomable if it happens to your child or loved one. Martinez’s mom, Melissa Martinez, is still trying to grasp the reality of the test drive kidnapping. But overall, Melissa appreciates the safe return of her son.

“The minute we saw each other it was good. It was good. I just held his hand and that was it,” said Melissa.

Jose has photocopied the license of the kidnapper who came in for the test drive, as per usual. Authorities are still searching for all of the other kidnappers who were involved. So far, none of the test drive kidnappers have been arrested.

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