Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
A local man led Quay County Sheriff's deputies and Quay County Detention Center guards on a short foot chase after escaping custody Thursday.
Jessie Garcia, 55, slipped one hand out of his handcuffs kicked the door of deputy Bill Anderson's patrol unit, striking Anderson and proceeded to run out of the Sally Port at QCDC, said Undersheriff Larry Cooksey.
Cooksey said Anderson had grabbed Garcia but lost his balance and fell. He said QCDC Administrator T.J. Rich and other QCDC personnel were near that area started chasing Garcia.
Garcia
Cooksey said Garcia ran east towards Saint Ann's Catholic Church, where he was taken back in to custody and booked in to the jail.
Cooksey said the incident began on Sept. 12, with a burglary of a residence in the county. He said jewelry and a box of personal papers including checkbooks and two savings bonds were taken, among several other items.
Cooksey said the following day at 1:35 p.m., he was contacted by the owner, who told him someone was trying to cash the savings bonds at the First Bank on New Mexico.
Cooksey said he spoke with the bank manager, who had identified the man as Garcia.
Cooksey said he knew Garcia from a previous arrest for a burglary of a residence. He said the manager showed him the bank's surveillance video and he recognized the person in the video as Garcia.
Cooksey said he left the bank and was returning to the office when he noticed a vehicle matching one that he had seen Garcia in before numerous times. He said the vehicle, leaving a retail store on Second Street, passed him and he turned around caught up to the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.
Cooksey said Garcia admitted to trying to cash the bonds, told him where the bonds were in the vehicle but denied any involvement in the burglary.
Cooksey said Garcia was placed under arrest, and as the vehicle was being inventoried, a new power drill was found in the back seat. He said Tucumcari Police officer Reyes Gonzales went back to the retail store on Second Street to determine if the drill had been stolen.
Gonzales made contact with the manager, which told him Garcia had purchased the drill using a check, for the amount of $302.74, according to court documents.
Cooksey said the check Garcia used to purchase the drill was from one of the checkbooks stolen in the burglary.
Garcia is currently being held at QCDC with no bond and an adult probation hold.
Garcia is charged with battery on a peace officer, escape from custody, forgery — all felonies — in addition to misdemeanor fraud and receiving stolen property.