Driver of Stolen Vehicle Arrested after Pursuit

The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody without further incident and identified as 25 year-old Paul Moreno of Farmington. Moreno was the suspect identified earlier in the day as the person responsible for the theft of the 2011 Toyota Corolla.

From the San Juan Co. Sheriff's Office:

On 03/08/2016 at approximately 7:53 am, Deputies took a report of a stolen 2011 White Toyota Corolla from an address on County Road (CR) 5485 near the Lee Acres area. The victim provided possible suspect information.

At approximately 2:00 pm, Detectives following up on information regarding the possible whereabouts of the stolen passenger car located it on CR 2595 between the Cities of Aztec and Bloomfield and requested air support assistance of the Sheriff’s Office helicopter. 

Prior to any attempt at contact, but upon sight of deputies in the area, the driver of the stolen car immediately fled in a dangerous manner and at a high rate of speed, crashing through the fence of a residence in the area. Deputies did not pursue the vehicle, but relied upon the “eye in the sky” to maintain visual of the stolen car and its direction of travel.

The driver initially fled southbound toward Bloomfield on rural oilfield roads. The driver then changed direction, heading northbound on NM 575; crossed over NM 173 and continued toward the area of CR 2770, Hart Canyon road, where a deputy deployed stop-sticks, deflating the rear right tire. The driver continued westbound at a high rate of speed and entered US 550 northbound. He then turned southbound on US 550 where a detective deployed stop-sticks and successfully deflated the tires resulting in the vehicle coming to a stop near the 163 mile marker on US 550, just north of Aztec. 

The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody without further incident and identified as 25 year-old Paul Moreno of Farmington. Moreno was the suspect identified earlier in the day as the person responsible for the theft of the 2011 Toyota Corolla. Moreno is being booked into the San Juan County Adult Detention Center on charges of Unlawful Taking of a Motor Vehicle (4th degree felony); Resisting/Evading a Law Enforcement Officer (misdemeanor); Driving on a Suspended or Revoked License (misdemeanor) and one outstanding felony and one outstanding misdemeanor warrant.

 

 

-------------------------MEDIA RELEASE---------------------------------Suspect of Stolen Vehicle in Custody with help of Sheriff’s Office HelicopterDate: March 8, 2016 - San Juan County, NM - On 03/08/2016 at approximately 7:53 am, Deputies took a report of a stolen 2011 White Toyota Corolla from an address on County Road (CR) 5485 near the Lee Acres area. The victim provided possible suspect information.At approximately 2:00 pm, Detectives following up on information regarding the possible whereabouts of the stolen passenger car located it on CR 2595 between the Cities of Aztec and Bloomfield and requested air support assistance of the Sheriff’s Office helicopter. Prior to any attempt at contact, but upon sight of deputies in the area, the driver of the stolen car immediately fled in a dangerous manner and at a high rate of speed, crashing through the fence of a residence in the area. Deputies did not pursue the vehicle, but relied upon the “eye in the sky” to maintain visual of the stolen car and its direction of travel.The driver initially fled southbound toward Bloomfield on rural oilfield roads. The driver then changed direction, heading northbound on NM 575; crossed over NM 173 and continued toward the area of CR 2770, Hart Canyon road, where a deputy deployed stop-sticks, deflating the rear right tire. The driver continued westbound at a high rate of speed and entered US 550 northbound. He then turned southbound on US 550 where a detective deployed stop-sticks and successfully deflated the tires resulting in the vehicle coming to a stop near the 163 mile marker on US 550, just north of Aztec. The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody without further incident and identified as 25 year-old Paul Moreno of Farmington. Moreno was the suspect identified earlier in the day as the person responsible for the theft of the 2011 Toyota Corolla. Moreno is being booked into the San Juan County Adult Detention Center on charges of Unlawful Taking of a Motor Vehicle (4th degree felony); Resisting/Evading a Law Enforcement Officer (misdemeanor); Driving on a Suspended or Revoked License (misdemeanor) and one outstanding felony and one outstanding misdemeanor warrant.

Posted by San Juan County Sheriff's Office, NM on Wednesday, March 9, 2016

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