Rapist Uses Ruse, Grabs Deputy’s Gun in Escape

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s investigators were searching Saturday for a prisoner with a history of rape assaults who overpowered a deputy and escaped with his gun after feigning illness on Thanksgiving, authorities said.

The prisoner, Eric Patrick Martin, 31, of Oakland, used the same ploy to escape from Alameda County Sheriff’s deputies last month, said Sgt. Mike Stodelle.

Martin had been arrested Wednesday in Los Angeles after he was spotted driving a car that had been stolen in San Bernardino, Stodelle said. He was posing as Louis Anthony Garbutt, 25, of Los Angeles, and was carrying identification that had been taken from a wallet lost by Garbutt, the officer said.

Thinking that the escaped convict was Garbutt, authorities took him to the San Bernardino County Jail, where he was booked on suspicion of auto theft and robbery, Stodelle said.

After complaining of stomach pains on Thursday, Martin was taken to San Bernardino County Medical Center. He asked to use the restroom during an examination, and was escorted by Deputy Leonard Nigel to the restroom, Stodelle said.

As they left the restroom, Stodelle said, Martin punched Nigel in the face, knocked him to the ground, took his .357 Magnum revolver and fled, Stodelle said.

Martin, who had been serving a 116-year sentence in Northern California, feigned illness during an Oct. 20 court appearance in Oakland, and was taken to a hospital under guard, Stodelle said. He overpowered a deputy and escaped.

Stodelle said Martin had been serving time for robbery, false imprisonment, and various sex charges including forcible rape.

“He is considered a compulsive rapist, preying on women in homes, clerks in convenience stores, cleaners, florists” and other situations where women are alone, Stodelle said. Martin should be considered armed and dangerous, he added.

Stodelle said Martin was not identified until Saturday, after San Bernardino County deputies located Garbutt in Los Angeles and discovered that his wallet and identification had been stolen.

Stodelle said comparison of fingerprints through a state computer in Sacramento identified the escaped man as Martin. The identification was confirmed with a check of prints made when Martin was once arrested in Ventura County.