Ulises Martinez Caught: Wanted In Connection To Hit-And-Run Death Of Smokin Thighs Owner Matt Carney

NASHVILLE, TN. (THECOUNT) — Ulises Martinez, a suspect in the hit-and-run death of beloved business owner Matt Carney, was apprehended in Nashville on Thursday, following a massive search effort in the Chattanooga area.

Carney, 42, suffered major head trauma when he was struck in the parking lot of his restaurant, Smokin Thighs, on June 19. Carney succumbed to his injuries on July 4 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department.

The investigation led to the discovery of the suspect vehicle, a spray-painted Nissan Frontier with a temporary tag, in the parking lot of the LaQuinta Inn on Sidco Drive on June 29. Authorities issued an arrest warrant for 24-year-old Ulises Martinez, linking him to the June 19 theft of a pickup truck from a Franklin Pike church.

MNPD’s Specialized Investigations Division spotted Martinez on July 10 outside a Bell Road motel. A pursuit ensued, resulting in the arrests of Francisco Martinez-Lopez, 25, and Adrian Diaz, 31, but Martinez managed to evade capture.

On July 17, the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Chattanooga division intensified the search, with over 70 local, state, and federal officers involved. Martinez was finally apprehended on July 18 at the Somatel Motel on Metroplex Drive near Interstate 24 and Harding Place. Investigations concerning Martinez’s involvement in Carney’s death are ongoing.

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