CAUGHT AGAIN

Gallup, July 22

A Gallup police officer had to pull a man over after he saw he was driving an unregistered vehicle for the second time, and when the officer went to check the car he also found meth inside it.

On July 22, around 2:30 pm, Gallup Police Officer Brandon Salazar saw a man that he recognized as Anthony Estrada, 67, driving a black Chevy Camaro, going east on Aztec Avenue near Second Street. According to Salazar’s report, he knew Estrada because he had stopped him in the same Camaro and given him a warning for having a false display of registration in the past.

According to Salazar’s report, the license plate Estrada had on the Camaro belonged to another vehicle he owned. Salazar had previously told Estrada that he needed to remove it from the Camaro, and he warned him that if he saw him driving the car with the license plate on it again, he would be pulling him over for the violation.

So Salazar did just that. He had Estrada pull over on First Street between Aztec and Coal Avenues.

Estrada allegedly tried to explain why he hadn’t gotten the car registered yet, but he kept messing up his storyline and told a confusing story.

When Salazar pulled Estrada over, a woman was sitting in the passenger seat of his car. Estrada said he didn’t know her very well, and that he was just giving her a ride.

Salazar began speaking to the woman, and she told the officer that she had been smoking meth in the car with Estrada.

When Salazar heard this, he asked Estrada if he could search the car, and Estrada gave him permission. Salazar found meth in the car, along with a glass pipe, sheets of foil, and some lighters.

Estrada was charged with possession of a controlled substance and false evidence of registration. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 3.

Staff Reports