Carjacking, gunfire follow domestic dispute in Guadalupe County
NMSP arrested a 22-year-old man after an alleged vehicle theft, pursuit, crash and exchange of gunfire near Anton Chico left him and his ex-girlfriend wounded.
Digital Assignment Editor
New Mexico State Police arrested 22-year-old Riel Gonzales on Saturday after a domestic dispute ended in a carjacking and shooting incident that spanned dozens of miles in Guadalupe County and involved several relatives.
State police were notified of the incident around noon on Saturday. It began about an hour earlier at 11:10 a.m. at the Phillips 66 Milagro gas station off I-40 about 35 miles west of Santa Rosa.
Riel got into a heated argument with his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend, who apparently abandoned Gonzales at the isolated gas station, taking off in a black BMW.
Gonzales then allegedly stole a red work truck from a driver who was pumping gas and pursued his ex-girlfriend toward Anton Chico, about 40 miles north of the gas station.
Ultimately, Gonzales retrieved the BMW and drove off from the residence where the ex-girlfriend had left it. Her mother came to pick her up, but as they left, they found Gonzales waiting on NM 119 near Anton Chico.
During their encounter, shots were fired, and a vehicle collision occurred. The mother’s boyfriend responded to the location and witnessed the crash. Gonzales fired on him. He fired back and ultimately subdued Gonzales.
Officers arrived and took Gonzales into custody. Both he and his ex-girlfriend suffered gunshot wounds to their arms and were transferred to an area hospital for treatment.
Gonzales was arrested and booked into the Colfax County Detention Center on a probation hold and charged with crimes ranging from the car theft to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal damage of property.
