Tucumcari man jailed on burglary charges

TUCUMCARI — A Tucumcari man accused of fleeing law officers remained jailed Tuesday on multiple charges, including allegations of burglaries in Quay and Curry counties.

Antonio Sandoval, 29, is in custody without bond at the Quay County Detention Center.

On Oct. 16, records show, Sandoval was arrested following a pursuit by New Mexico State Police and Quay County Sheriff's Office that resulted in the recovery of a stolen vehicle, handguns and more.

The pickup belongs to the Quay County Road Department, Quay County Manager Richard Primrose said.

New Mexico State Police Officer Valentin Salazar said he was patrolling on U.S. Highway 54 at 11:24 a.m. on Oct. 16 when he observed the white Ford F-250 that matched the description of a stolen pickup, court records show.

Salazar said the vehicle was traveling 75 mph in a 65 mph zone. He said he turned on his emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop. As he exited his vehicle, he said Salazar drove off at a high rate of speed.

Salazar, records show, pursued the vehicle on U.S. 54 westbound. Quay County Sheriff Russell Shafer soon joined in the pursuit, which continued into town with Sandoval attempting to evade officers on several side streets.

Sandoval's vehicle crashed in the alley off of South Rock Island Street and East Heman Avenue. Sandoval was arrested after Tucumcari Police Officer Reyes Gonzales deployed his taser, records show.

Inside the wrecked pickup, officials found handguns, burglary tools, wallets and credit cards, records show.

Surveillance video from Curry County banks matched the description of the vehicle Sandoval was driving.

Curry County charges include:

• two counts aggravated burglary, four counts burglary.

Curry County Sheriff Wesley Waller said some of the charges stem from an investigation into vehicle burglaries in the Grady area.