Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Local stabbed in attempt to stop break-in at neighbor's

PORTALES — Sharon Faulkner says she has a gutsy neighbor.

His name is Meliton Viera.

Police said Viera was stabbed three times on Sept. 18 as he attempted to stop a break-in at Faulkner’s home in the 100 block of South Avenue G in Portales. He is recovering at home now. And because of his heroics, Faulkner said the intruder was captured and her stolen iPad has been returned.

Faulkner said she was sleeping peacefully in her bed with her cat Alamo when she heard a sound around 2 in the morning. She sat up and saw a light on underneath her bedroom door. She said she opened the door to her storage room where the light was emanating from and saw a strange man there tearing her closet apart.

She yelled at the man, “What are you doing here? Get out of my house! I’m calling the police!” Faulkner said.

Then she ran to her neighbor’s house.

Viera, 31, said it was his 12-year-old son who first heard the screams. They alerted the authorities, but while they waited Meliton Viera ran over to confront the man.

The intruder, who police identified as David Santarosa from Clovis, was in Faulkner’s bedroom and had seized her iPad.

A fight broke out between the two men and Viera was stabbed in his stomach, ribs and right shoulder. He also suffered lacerations to his right ear and face. Viera said it took medical personnel two hours to stop the bleeding in his stomach. If the stab wound to his shoulder had just been an inch higher he would’ve bled out and died on scene, he said.

Santarosa didn’t get far as he was quickly apprehended by authorities. Faulkner said she was impressed with the police and happy when her iPad was returned.

Viera said he was released from the hospital a few hours after the incident. “I’m sore and achy, but I’m OK,” he said early this week.

He said he went to Faulkner’s home after he was released. “She was still in shock,” he said. But he was happy to report she is also OK.

Santarosa remained in the Roosevelt County Detention Center without bond late last week. His pretrial detention hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday at the Roosevelt County Courthouse. He faces charges of aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, tampering with evidence, concealing identity and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer.

 
 
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