Suspect detained after hours-long standoff

A man who barricaded himself in a van in the middle of South First Street in Tucumcari was apprehended by police nearly five hours later Friday afternoon.

After two flash grenades detonated near the suspect's van had no apparent effect, a New Mexico State Police robot rolled up to the vehicle and held a canister containing a teargas variant into its window. The suspect crawled out of the driver's side window, where he was grabbed by a slew of officers in tactical gear.

TPD Chief Patti Lopez identified the suspect as Edwin Ruben Corrales Gutierrez, 39, a Mexican national. He briefly was examined by emergency medical technicians in a nearby ambulance after his arrest, then placed into a Tucumcari Police squad car.

Lopez said there was evidence of alcohol and methamphetamine use by Gutierrez.

Lopez said the initial call about the suspect came at 10:29 a.m. Friday, when Gutierrez and an unnamed male passenger in the van became embroiled in an argument as they were traveling from Arizona to Florida.

Gutierrez brandished a machete at the passenger, who jumped out of the vehicle in an area on South Second Street behind the Allsup's convenience store. The passenger called police, Lopez said, because he had property inside the van.

Local police tried to speak to Gutierrez, but he refused. He finally began a low-speed, intermittent chase with officers in the area, including in and out of the McDonald's parking lot. A sheriff's deputy placed a spike strip behind the van, flattening its rear tires.

At one point during the stop-and-go chase, Lopez said Gutierrez backed his van into one of the police cars. She said a Tucumcari police officer also suffered a cut hand trying to push aside a broken window in the van.

Gutierrez finally stopped his vehicle in a center turn lane of South First Street, where he barricaded himself inside.

"He refused to come out because he thought we would shoot him," Lopez said.

Several police vehicles boxed in the van to keep it from moving.

Dozens of law enforcement vehicles – including those from New Mexico State Police, Tucumcari Police Department and the Quay County Sheriff's Office -- closed off several blocks of South First Street during the standoff. Ambulances and a Tucumcari firetruck also were on standby. City vehicles also helped block off streets and provided traffic control.

Officers were seen pointing their guns at the van while others took defensive positions behind vehicles.

In the meantime, Lopez said several officers tried to negotiate with Gutierrez by phone and encouraged him to surrender.

By mid-afternoon, officers tossed flash grenades that exploded with a large bang near the van. New Mexico State Police soon brought two tactical vehicles to the scene.

Finally, a NMSP robot holding a canister containing a teargas variant reached into the van, prompting Gutierrez to exit the driver's side window and showing his hands. A state police officer explained the robot held the canister aloft to keep it from accidentally setting fire to trash inside the van.

Traffic was reopened about 4:30 p.m. after Gutierrez's van was towed away.

We'll have more details in the next edition of the Quay County Sun.