A rush-hour crash and a gunshot victim; detectives piecing together killing of 'hardworking taxi driver'

In the midst of morning rush-hour traffic on South Alvarado Street in Westlake last month, a silver Prius crashed into a taxi.

When paramedics arrived, they found that the driver of the Prius, who had stumbled out of his car and collapsed in front of a medical clinic, had been shot multiple times, including in the back and the chest, according to coroner’s records.

Hours later, the 39-year-old father of two was pronounced dead at a hospital.

The only evidence detectives had to start with was the crashed car and the knowledge that the victim, Bulmaro Martinez, was shot. They began to backtrack.

So far, police know that Martinez was shot while outside his car, then tried to drive himself to a hospital. The exact location of the shooting remains unknown, although it may have been in the area of West Temple Street and North Rampart Boulevard, LAPD Det. Ray Martinez said.

There’s no evidence of a robbery, and Martinez was not involved in gangs.

“He was a hardworking taxi driver trying to support his kids and himself,” the detective said.

Martinez kept to himself. He filled his days working as an unlicensed cabdriver in his Prius, going to church, kickboxing and spending time with his brothers. He routinely sent money back to his children in Mexico, his family said.

Martinez “wasn’t a person who looked for problems,” brother Octavio Martinez said. His family is stunned, unable to understand why Martinez would be shot.

Detectives are trying to piece together crucial information about the killing. So far, there are no witnesses, Det. Martinez said.

No one called to report gunshots, and there’s nothing in Martinez's past that stands out.

Det. Martinez is hoping someone who was in the area about 8:45 a.m. on June 1 can provide more information.

“There’s thousands of people going in and out toward downtown,” he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Rampart detectives at (213) 484-3639. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Photo: A DMV photograph of Bulmaro Martinez and a photograph of his vehicle. Credit: LAPD

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.