Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Antonio Sandoval, right center, was arrested by New Mexico State Police officers following a joint pursuit with the Quay County Sheriff's Office Monday in Tucumcari. Sandoval has been charged with multiple offenses, including aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer.
Antonio Sandoval was charged in connection with burglaries in Quay County and possibly Curry County after his arrest Monday morning following a pursuit by Quay County Sheriff's Office and New Mexico State Police.
A Monday morning pursuit ended with the arrest of a Tucumcari man, along with recovery of a stolen vehicle, handguns and belongings from burglaries in Quay and Curry County.
Antonio Sandoval, 29, was arrested, charged and booked into the Quay County Detention Center on counts including aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer, receiving/transferring stolen motor vehicles, two counts of receiving stolen fire arms and dealing in credit cards of another.
According to the criminal complaint filed by New Mexico State Police Officer Valentin Salazar:
• At 11:24 a.m., Monday, while patrolling near mile marker 311 on U.S. Highway 54, Salazar observed a white Ford F-250 that matched the description of a vehicle that was reported stolen on Saturday in Tucumcari.
"The pick-up is property of the Quay County Road Department, it was stolen from the county yard late Friday night, early Saturday morning," said Richard Primrose, County Manager.
• Salazar said he ran the vehicle registration, the return did not match the vehicle it was displayed upon, (the registration license plate was reported stolen over the weekend to Tucumcari Police Department). The vehicle was traveling 75 miles per hour in a 65 mph zone.
• Salazar turned on his emergency lights and conducted a traffic stop, upon stopping he exited his vehicle at which time the driver later identified as Sandoval drove off at a high rate of speed.
• Salazar pursed the vehicle on U.S. 54 westbound towards Tucumcari, at mile marker 306 Quay County Sheriff Russell Shaffer joined in the pursuit. The pursuit continued into town with Sandoval attempting to evade officers on several side streets.
• The vehicle crashed in the alley off of South Rock Island Street and East Heman Avenue. Sandoval exited the vehicle, refused to comply with the commands being issued by TPD officer Reyes Gonzales. Sandoval attempted to reach back into the wrecked vehicle, Gonzales deployed his taser, immobilizing Sandoval at which time he was taken into custody.
• Salazar was contacted by Curry County Sheriff detective Matt Whittington and informed there was an ongoing investigation into burglaries that occurred in Grady located in Curry County. The burglaries included firearms and several wallets and credit cards that were used at banks in Clovis. Surveillance video from the banks matched the description of the vehicle Sandoval was driving.
A search warrant was obtained for the white Ford F-250, inside officers found handguns, burglary tools, wallets and credit cards. Officers also logged drug paraphernalia and amounts of methamphetamines and marijuana.
Sandoval was also charged with criminal damage to property, possession of burglary tools, possession of controlled substance, two counts of receiving stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving, possession of marijuana, speeding and improper use of evidence of registration.
Sandoval is currently being held at QCDC on no bond awaiting an arraignment hearing.
