Las Cruces, NM - At Accident With Injuries
Scene - Woman Steals LCPD Patrol Car - Chase - Head On Serious Accident
April 8,
2011
lcsun-news.com
A violent felon is in jail after police say she hopped in an unlocked squad car at the scene of a car crash and sped away Thursday morning.
Megan Gutierrez, 29, was on probation after a conviction for threatening Las Cruces firefighters with a knife in 2006, according to court records. Gutierrez was charged Thursday with auto theft, aggravated drunken driving and violating her probation and was booked into the Do-a Ana County Detention Center with a $6,000 bond.
Officers had responded to a car crash with injuries on Missouri Avenue and Gladys Drive around 9:35 a.m. when Gutierrez, passing by, allegedly jumped into the unlocked car and drove off south on Gladys. She turned west on Wyoming but lost control when she tried to turn south onto Locust and swerved to avoid bicyclist Matthew Brigance, a New Mexico State University student who was riding to work when he saw the police car come at him at about 40 mph.
"It went into an uncontrolled fishtail to avoid hitting me," Brigance said. "It was coming directly at me ... I looked directly into the front of the car and saw it wasn't a police officer."
Swerving into the path of a northbound Dodge Raider, Gutierrez crashed head-on, sending both cars smashing into a rock wall at Country Crest Apartments, at Locust Street and Monte Vista Avenue - less than a mile from the site of the initial crash.
The 24-year-old woman driving the Raider was transported with minor injuries to an area hospital, according to LCPD. Gutierrez, uninjured, allegedly tried to run from the crash but was tackled to the ground by a man who witnessed the crash.
"After she ran, somebody said, 'Get that girl! Get that girl!' and a guy got her down," said witness Karissa Abrams, another NMSU student, who was on her way to her boyfriend's apartment when she saw the crash and ensuing chase.
The damaged police vehicle was described as "a pool vehicle used by traffic officers" and not assigned to any officer in particular, according to LCPD, which is still assessing the amount of damages.
A second officer who had been at the initial crash was able to alert fellow officers to Gutierrez's direction of travel and arrived on scene to take Gutierrez into custody - right as Brigance was dialing 911, he said.
'Looked lost'
Felipe Chavez, who works at the convenience store next to the initial car crash, said Gutierrez seemed out of sorts when she came into the store before allegedly stealing the police car.
"She was in the parking lot and looked lost, like she might have been on something," Chavez said of Gutierrez, who he remembered for her copious tattoos. "She came in, bought a Gatorade, then that was it."
Gutierrez was scheduled to end her term of probation this July, according to court records.
FD attack
The night of Aug. 30, 2006, Gutierrez, then 25, was arrested at the Las Cruces Fire Department station at 201 E. Picacho after entering the station and threatening firefighters with a knife.
Gutierrez had initially tried to summon a police officer to the LCPD main station, next door, said LCFD Lt. Jason Floyd, who was working a different shift at the fire department that day. Frustrated when an officer didn't arrive fast enough, Gutierrez went next door, to the fire station, Floyd recalled.
"While the crew was eating dinner, they just saw her appear in front of the kitchen window," Floyd said. "She came after them, tried to throw (the knife) at them. She threw it at one member of the department and then chased around a few others for a while ... I think they hit her with a trash can and held her down."
Later under questioning, Gutierrez allegedly told a detective "she was upset that we didn't hurt her more," Floyd said. "Her initial plan was really suicide by cop. She was going to wait for an officer and lunge at them."
In 2007, Gutierrez was convicted of five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for the attack. Third Judicial District Court Judge Stephen Bridgforth suspended Gutierrez's 7 1/2-year sentence in lieu of four years on probation.
It's not yet known whether Thursday's incident will prompt policy changes to require officers to keep their doors locked at all times, Trujillo said. Currently, that decision is up to the officer.
Although "very isolated," the 2006 attack prompted policy changes at the fire department, Floyd said.
"It changed a lot of things," Floyd said. "We keep things monitored, doors locked, garage doors down. To this day, it has affected the way we operate."
It has not yet been determined if the officer who left the door unlocked did anything wrong, but Trujillo declined to comment on any potential discipline, citing confidentiality in personnel matters.
However, he said, "We will be reviewing our policies and procedures as they relate to the circumstances of today's incident."
Megan Gutierrez, 29, was on probation after a conviction for threatening Las Cruces firefighters with a knife in 2006, according to court records. Gutierrez was charged Thursday with auto theft, aggravated drunken driving and violating her probation and was booked into the Do-a Ana County Detention Center with a $6,000 bond.
Officers had responded to a car crash with injuries on Missouri Avenue and Gladys Drive around 9:35 a.m. when Gutierrez, passing by, allegedly jumped into the unlocked car and drove off south on Gladys. She turned west on Wyoming but lost control when she tried to turn south onto Locust and swerved to avoid bicyclist Matthew Brigance, a New Mexico State University student who was riding to work when he saw the police car come at him at about 40 mph.
"It went into an uncontrolled fishtail to avoid hitting me," Brigance said. "It was coming directly at me ... I looked directly into the front of the car and saw it wasn't a police officer."
Swerving into the path of a northbound Dodge Raider, Gutierrez crashed head-on, sending both cars smashing into a rock wall at Country Crest Apartments, at Locust Street and Monte Vista Avenue - less than a mile from the site of the initial crash.
"After she ran, somebody said, 'Get that girl! Get that girl!' and a guy got her down," said witness Karissa Abrams, another NMSU student, who was on her way to her boyfriend's apartment when she saw the crash and ensuing chase.
The damaged police vehicle was described as "a pool vehicle used by traffic officers" and not assigned to any officer in particular, according to LCPD, which is still assessing the amount of damages.
A second officer who had been at the initial crash was able to alert fellow officers to Gutierrez's direction of travel and arrived on scene to take Gutierrez into custody - right as Brigance was dialing 911, he said.
'Looked lost'
Felipe Chavez, who works at the convenience store next to the initial car crash, said Gutierrez seemed out of sorts when she came into the store before allegedly stealing the police car.
"She was in the parking lot and looked lost, like she might have been on something," Chavez said of Gutierrez, who he remembered for her copious tattoos. "She came in, bought a Gatorade, then that was it."
Gutierrez was scheduled to end her term of probation this July, according to court records.
FD attack
The night of Aug. 30, 2006, Gutierrez, then 25, was arrested at the Las Cruces Fire Department station at 201 E. Picacho after entering the station and threatening firefighters with a knife.
Gutierrez had initially tried to summon a police officer to the LCPD main station, next door, said LCFD Lt. Jason Floyd, who was working a different shift at the fire department that day. Frustrated when an officer didn't arrive fast enough, Gutierrez went next door, to the fire station, Floyd recalled.
"While the crew was eating dinner, they just saw her appear in front of the kitchen window," Floyd said. "She came after them, tried to throw (the knife) at them. She threw it at one member of the department and then chased around a few others for a while ... I think they hit her with a trash can and held her down."
Later under questioning, Gutierrez allegedly told a detective "she was upset that we didn't hurt her more," Floyd said. "Her initial plan was really suicide by cop. She was going to wait for an officer and lunge at them."
In 2007, Gutierrez was convicted of five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for the attack. Third Judicial District Court Judge Stephen Bridgforth suspended Gutierrez's 7 1/2-year sentence in lieu of four years on probation.
It's not yet known whether Thursday's incident will prompt policy changes to require officers to keep their doors locked at all times, Trujillo said. Currently, that decision is up to the officer.
Although "very isolated," the 2006 attack prompted policy changes at the fire department, Floyd said.
"It changed a lot of things," Floyd said. "We keep things monitored, doors locked, garage doors down. To this day, it has affected the way we operate."
It has not yet been determined if the officer who left the door unlocked did anything wrong, but Trujillo declined to comment on any potential discipline, citing confidentiality in personnel matters.
However, he said, "We will be reviewing our policies and procedures as they relate to the circumstances of today's incident."