ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A new video shows the tense moments of a SWAT team and K-9 arrest a suspect after he led them on a chase through southwest Albuquerque in December. It started as a call to police from a resident near Central and Atrisco, saying a gray sedan was parking outside of his home, and people in the car were making threats to him while possibly armed.
When Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies arrived to the scene around 11 p.m., the gray sedan, which was later identified as a stolen Hyundai, backed out of a driveway and tried to turn around on Draxton Ave SW.
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You can see the deputy perform a blocking maneuver to try and stop the driver. According to the criminal complaint, the driver intentionally ran into the deputy’s unit to injure them or avoid arrest. After blocking the suspect’s vehicle, the suspect took further action.
Dash camera footage shows the suspect, later identified as Valentin Garcia, ditches the car and runs away from deputies into a nearby home. Deputies said Garcia appeared to have a gun on him. Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team arrived moments later to help. Hours later, around 4:30 a.m., the suspect exits from a window of the home.
He began to run again, but deputies and their K-9 were ready. The K-9 was released onto the Garcia and bit him before he could escape. Law enforcement confirmed the suspect was Valentin Garcia and detained him at the scene. Garcia had felony warrants for his arrest.
