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Former NM GOP Candidate Arrested On Charges Of Slashing Opponent's Tires

A former Republican candidate for New Mexico's 1st Congressional District is being accused of slashing the tires on his opponent's vehicle.  Albuquerque police arrested Gary Smith at his home Friday evening.

Court records show Smith, an Army veteran, is facing a charge of criminal damage to property for allegedly slashing the tires of Janice Arnold-Jones.

In April, a lawsuit filed by Arnold-Jones' campaign resulted in Smith getting knocked off the GOP primary ballot. Arnold-Jones went on to be defeated in the general election.

Arnold-Jones had turned over home surveillance video to police that showed a man slashing her tires with an ice pick on Dec. 20. Police say they were able to verify it was Smith.

Smith told Albuquerque television station KOB-TV that he didn't know why he was being arrested and that he didn't slash Arnold-Jones' tires.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.