Vittles owner's son dies after alleged battery, coma

ADAM MARTINEZ

Adam Michael Martinez, 31, died at Mercy Medical Center in Redding May 14, 2009 after sustaining head injuries received nineteen days earlier. Martinez was knocked into a coma by one punch on April 25 on the dance floor at Club Ice in Redding, according to the Record Searchlight.

Martinez had allegedly spoken with the man's girlfriend, the spokesman said. The altercation was captured on the club's video surveillance system, he said.

When police arrived, Martinez was unconscious on the dance floor and the man accused of striking him, Lennart C. Schauman, 29, of Redding, was being held by club employees, the spokesman said.

Martinez was taken to Mercy Medical Center and Schauman was arrested on suspicion of felony battery and has a June 8 arraignment date.

Shasta County District Attorney Jerry Benito said the investigation into the incident is continuing.

The son of Vittles restaurant owner Joe Martinez, Adam Martinez was born March 11, 1978 in San Antonio, Texas. Adam Martinez came to the Redding area at age six months. He attended local schools ending with Shasta High School and Shasta College.

He went on to Chico State University to complete a Bachelors degree in Business and Finance with emphasis on foreign business, graduating magna cum laude with multiple honors.

Most of Adam Martinez's working career centered on restaurants, starting at a young age washing dishes in his parents' restaurant in Anderson, the local landmark Koffee Korner. After mastering service and the kitchen he went on to management positions in other local eating establishments. For much of 2008 and 2009 he was involved in the planning and organization of a new restaurant facility on the old Koffee Korner site, now known as Vittles, and was intending to become General Manager. In conjunction with his education in foreign business and for personal enjoyment he traveled worldwide including China, Great Britain and Spain.

His hobbies included golf, snow boarding, bicycling for charities, a stint at the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving and jumping out of airplanes.

Adam is survived by father Jose (Joe) Martinez and Ardith Taylor Martinez, mother Jane Heinan and Gerry Heinan, birth mother Teresa Klein and Doug Klein, brothers Jason Martinez and Doug Heinan, sisters Karina Martinez, Rachelle Martinez and Natasha Brooks plus and extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins as well as special friends Mary, Monica, TW, Travis and many, many more.

Services will be held at the Faith Assembly Church, 8595 Airport Road, Redding, CA on Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the following: The Healing Garden, c/o Mercy Foundation North, 2400 Washington Ave. #410, Redding, CA 96001 Another Chance Animal Welfare League, P.O. Box 308, Millville, CA 96062.