Doña Ana County Sheriff’s investigators have charged a Chaparral man with several counts of intentional child abuse after he allegedly beat his girlfriend in front of children.
At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 1, Doña Ana County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic situation at a convenience store in the 1700 block of Anthony Drive in Anthony. Upon arrival, deputies learned from a female victim that her boyfriend, 23-year-old John Gallegos, allegedly became enraged after the car they were driving in began to overheat.
According to the woman, Gallegos was driving erratically and began to punch and slap the woman repeatedly in the head. Gallegos drove the car to the convenience store where the woman was able to make contact with her family.
When her family arrived, they reportedly began to remove the children, ages one, three and five years of age, from the car. Before they could get the children out, Gallegos reportedly sped off with the children still in the car and the doors open.
Deputies were able to stop Gallegos on NM 404 where he was given field sobriety tests that he failed.
Gallegos was arrested for DWI and was transported to the Doña Ana County Detention Center on three additional charges of intentional child abuse and two charges of battery against a household member. He was later released on a $10,000 secured bond.