The suspects in two Sunday morning burglaries led police on a high speed pursuit on interstate highways before being detained by police.
Andrew Montoya, 21, Emanuel Luna, 24, and 20-year-old Rafael Chavez each face two counts of aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon and two counts of conspiracy for the incident that was reported at around 5 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 28.
Montoya faces additional charges of aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer. Luna also faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer. Chaves faces an additional charge of larceny over $250. All three men are being held on $25,000 cash-only bonds.
At around 5 a.m. Sunday, Las Cruces Police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress at the 3300 block of south Main Street. As the first-arriving officer reached the scene, he saw two men jump into a black two-door Honda Civic that quickly left the scene.
Other LCPD officers began following the vehicle as it travelled erratically east on University Avenue and then south on I-25. The pursuit continued onto I-10 at speeds that exceeded 100 miles per hour. As the vehicle began to lose power, officers executed a PIT maneuver that immobilized the vehicle in the I-10 median.
Montoya, the driver of the Honda, and Luna fled the vehicle on foot. Officers gave chase and detained Luna. Montoya tried to fight with an officer in the westbound lanes of I-10 and had a foot run over by a tractor-trailer that was traveling west. Surprisingly, Montoya did not sustain any broken bones and was successfully taken into custody. The officer was not injured.
Chavez and a 21-year-old woman remained in the Honda Civic and were taken into custody for questioning. No charges have been filed against the woman.
Investigators learned that Montoya, Luna and Chavez broke into two homes on the 3100 block of south Main Street. Victims told detectives that the suspects were armed with baseball bats and knives. Taken during the burglaries were a flat screen television, a PlayStation 3 and a purse.
Information from Las Cruces Police