Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Antonio Sandoval was arrested Oct. 16; stolen goods were recovered.
Quay County Road Superintendent Larry Moore, center, observes the damage done to a stolen county truck that was recovered on Oct. 16 following a pursuit by law enforcement.
A Tucumcari man charged with aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer will remain in custody at the Quay County Detention Center with no bond following Monday's detention hearing.
Antonio Sandoval, 29, appeared before 10th Judicial District Judge Albert J. Mitchell on a motion for detention filed by 10th Judicial District Attorney Tim Rose.
According to court officials the motion was not ruled on as Sandoval has not been appointed a public defender or hired legal counsel, he remains in custody.
Rose, Mitchell were in court Tuesday morning unavailable for further comment.
On Oct. 16 Sandoval was arrested following a pursuit by New Mexico State Police and Quay County Sheriff's Office that resulted in the recovery of a stolen vehicle, handguns and belongings from burglaries in Quay and Curry County.
Sandoval was taken into custody, booked into QCDC on counts including 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., on Oct. 16, 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 Shafer 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.
