A Gallup man took his chances at trying to escape from police last month, and now wants to take another chance at a formal trial to possibly do away with some criminal charges, according to court papers.

Isaac Padilla, 23, took Gallup police and officers from the Middle Rio Grande Valley Task Force on a high speed car chase May 3 after the cops and task force members pursued him on suspected drug charges. Padilla was arraigned last week on felony drug and aggravated fleeing charges, records show.

The police agencies were watching a residence on East Princeton Avenue where some suspected drug dealers were believed to be staying and doing business, records show. The police saw a silver Ford Explorer enter a back alley and saw a female and Padilla at the location during the surveillance.

Padilla jumped in the car and took police on a chase through several north side streets, at one point trying to hit a police car involved in the chase to avoid capture, police records show. A Gallup police officer subsequently spotted Padilla near West Jefferson Avenue and Maloney heading toward Walmart, a police report states.

“The vehicle then came to a stop on the wrong side of the road and all of the occupants jumped out of the vehicle and began running,” reads the police report on the incident.

Padilla was taken into custody at the Home Depot, according to the police report. Upon being questioned by Gallup Police Lt. Rosanne  Morrissette, it was discovered that Padilla possessed a paper stuck to his ankle which contained 1.1 grams of methamphetamine.

Padilla didn’t admit to a judge anything regarding the matter and a trial date is now set for Nov. 28 before 11th Judicial Court Judge Lyndy Bennett.

By Bernie Dotson

Sun Correspondent