Man accused of shooting at passing SUV

A Tucumcari man remained jailed this week on six felony charges after being accused of shooting at a moving vehicle – injuring one of its occupants

Frankie Joe Martinez, 27, was charged Thursday with five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, plus one count of shooting at or from a motor vehicle, causing injury.

All six counts are felonies, with the most serious that could lead up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

Much of the information came from a New Mexico State Police news release and an affidavit filed by NMSP officer Arturo Casillas. NMSP took over the investigation.

Casillas stated he was sent at 2:15 a.m. Thursday to help the Tucumcari Police Department with a shooting that occurred in the 1000 block of South Jackson Street.

A TPD officer said a sport utility vehicle containing two adults and three juveniles was going north on the street when a man standing outside his residence brandished a firearm and shot at least one round toward the vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle fled a few blocks, and someone inside called police.

Casillas observed three bullet holes in the passenger side of the vehicle and a rear right window was shattered by a bullet hole. A rear right passenger door also contained a bullet hole, as did another passenger door.

One of the women inside suffered superficial wounds due to glass shattered by the bullet.

Casillas noted in his report he had been to Martinez’s address several times for “shooting incidents.”

Martinez then barricaded himself inside his residence with his girlfriend and two children. NMSP took over the investigation, forming a perimeter around the home.

After obtaining a search warrant and an arrest warrant for Martinez, the NMSP Tactical Team was activated to assist.

NMSP officers contacted Martinez’s girlfriend, who left the residence safely with the children.

Martinez then complied with officers’ commands to leave the home, and he was taken into custody without incident.

During the execution of the search warrant, officers recovered a handgun with a 30-round extended magazine, a shotgun and a large amount of ammunition. Sixteen spent 9mm casings were found from the front porch to the street.

Additionally, about 5 grams of methamphetamine were seized.

The deputy district attorney, Thomas Blakeney, filed an expedited motion to hold Martinez in jail until his trial, citing “an extremely high threat of serious harm” to the victims and the public at large.

Blakeney also noted Martinez had violated the conditions of his parole.

A hearing on the pretrial detention request was set for Tuesday morning.

Public defender Anna Aragon of Las Vegas has been assigned to be Martinez’s attorney.