WANTED: Man accused of carjacking Matthews restaurant employee at knifepoint

MATTHEWS, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) – Matthews Police are searching for a man who they say led officers on a chase in a stolen vehicle after carjacking a local restaurant employee at knifepoint.

The armed robbery occurred at 12:07 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Steady Eddy’s Pumphouse located at 2216 E. John Street, police said.

As officers got to the scene, the employee said they had closed up the restaurant for the night, but had gone back after forgetting an item inside the building. When the employee reentered the business, there was a man inside who demanded the employee’s car keys at knifepoint.

The suspect, later identified as Alex Funes Martinez, 20, sped away in the employee’s car. It was later discovered Martinez had gotten inside the restaurant by breaking in through the back door, police said.

A short time later, the vehicle was spotted in the Mint Hill area by police. Martinez refused to stop and led officers on a brief police chase before abandoning the vehicle in the 13500 block of Lawyers Road.

The Mint Hill K-9 Unit attempted to track down Martinez in the area but was not able to find him.

Martinez is wanted for armed robbery and breaking or entering a building. Anyone with information on Martinez’s whereabouts is asked to call police at 704-847-5555 or 911 immediately.