Driver died at the scene
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. - A call to assist led New Mexico State Police officers into an extended chase on I-40 for a number of state police officers.
New Mexico State Police responded to assist the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office with a vehicle pursuit on State Road 6, west of Los Lunas, N.M. at about 10:50 am on Oct. 17.
Valencia County Sheriff’s deputies pursued the vehicle on State Road 6 to I-40. The vehicle merged onto I-40 and proceeded to travel westbound.
A New Mexico State Police officer located the vehicle matching the description of the vehicle that was pursued by the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office near the off ramp at milepost 108.
The New Mexico State Police Officer attempted to initiate a high-risk felony traffic stop. The male driver of the vehicle sped off and a pursuit was initiated. The vehicle merged onto I-40 eastbound and proceeded to travel east.
A Pursuit Intervention Technique maneuver was used by a State Police officer in an attempt to bring the vehicle to a safe stop. The vehicle continued to travel east on the interstate toward milepost exit 126. It exited onto the off ramp, turned around and merged back onto I-40 westbound.
A State Police officer assisting in the pursuit deployed stop sticks at milepost 120. The vehicle continued to travel westbound and another state police officer deployed more stop sticks at milepost 116.
The pursuit ended when a PIT maneuver was utilized on the suspect’s vehicle. The vehicle came to a stop after crashing into a cable barrier in the median near milepost 114.
New Mexico State Police officers with the assistance of Laguna Tribal Police officers gave numerous verbal commands to the sole occupant to surrender peacefully. The male driver ignored commands and refused to exit the vehicle.
A Laguna Tribal Police officer deployed a less-lethal bean bag round into a window of the vehicle after officers visually observed the male driver continue to move around inside the vehicle. At some point the driver produced a firearm and shot toward the officers through the front windshield of the vehicle. A New Mexico State Police officer returned fire.
Officers continued to give verbal commands to the driver to exit the vehicle. The driver continued to ignore the commands. Officers observed the man holding a rifle in his lap. A Laguna Tribal Police officer deployed another bean bag round toward the driver after there was no response.
Officers approached the vehicle in an attempt to make contact with the driver and observed he was unresponsive. A Laguna Tribal officer grabbed the rifle, and other officers on scene attempted to render aid. Emergency Medical Personnel were directed to the scene to help. But the driver died at the scene.
The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau was requested to investigate the incident. The identification of the officers and male subjects will not be released at this time. No officers were injured during the incident.
This information is preliminary, and the investigation is still active and ongoing.