Man arrested on suspicion of kidnapping after being accused of taking ex-wife on forced ride around city

DOWNEY – Police on Tuesday arrested a Downey man on suspicion of kidnapping after his ex-wife accused him of forcing her to ride in a car around the city against her will.

Jesse E. Martinez, 39, is accused of going to his ex-wife’s home in Downey on Sunday and forcing her to get into the car against her will, according to Downey Police Sgt. Alex Irizabal. The woman said she was forced to get into the car about 6:15 p.m., according to police.

Her husband got out of the car later, and the woman went home and called police about 7:24 p.m., according to records.

Martinez was accused of kidnapping because the woman said Martinez forced her to move to a different location against her will, Irizabal said.

Martinez is scheduled to appear in court Thursday and was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail at the sheriff’s Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles, according to sheriff’s records.