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Eduardo Martínez is charged with a felony conspiracy count and faces four years in jail

LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles man has been charged with shutting down the 110 Freeway in Downtown Los Angeles in 2023 to record a music video.

“This was incredibly reckless behavior, all in search of a ‘viral moment’ on social media,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman. “This past summer I announced that we’re partnering with law enforcement to crack down on and eliminate reckless street takeovers that can lead to death and other types of crimes that hurt our communities. If you choose to treat our streets like your own personal playground, you will find yourself in a criminal courtroom.”

Eduardo Erik Martínez (dob 7/15/93) pleaded not guilty today to one felony count of conspiracy to commit exhibition of speed and two counts of felony vandalism. He is due back on Dec. 11 to set a date for a preliminary hearing in Department 35 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Case 25CJCF06253 was filed for warrant on Sept. 25. Bail was set at $100,000.

During the afternoon rush hour traffic on Nov. 22, 2023, Martínez had several vehicles block the northbound 110 Freeway near the 9^th Street offramp. The defendant then allegedly began recording a music video while other vehicles did donuts behind him and around him.

Martínez also is charged with vandalizing a bench in Department 40 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center while in court for an unrelated incident on Oct. 21, 2024.

If convicted as charged, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of four years and four months in jail. Prosecutors requested $100,000 bail.

The case is being prosecuted by the Central Trials 15 Division and remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles Police and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s departments.

The charges filed in this case are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.