ABQ Times

Albuquerque Police Department (APD) detectives and SWAT officers successfully apprehended three men following a dangerous vehicle pursuit on February 28, 2024. The incident unfolded when a stolen truck rammed into a detective's vehicle and was later disabled by law enforcement officers near Broadway and Southern.

The pursuit began when Auto Theft detectives spotted a stolen white Chrysler 300 in the vicinity of Gibson Blvd. and I-25. According to reports, the detectives, along with APD's Air Support, tracked the vehicle to Delemar Ave and 2nd St., N.W. in the North Valley. Here, passengers disembarked and transferred to a separate Ford F-250 with a stolen license plate. One of the individuals in the group was identified as Randy Lopez-Garcia, who had existing felony warrants against him.

The stolen truck, later confirmed to be taken from Corrales, was driven by Gildardo Peralez, 28, who made multiple stops to burglarize vehicles. Detectives attempted to stop the truck using a vehicle-apprehension device at Wyoming Blvd and Constitution Ave., N.E. However, the truck managed to strike the detective's vehicle as officers sought cover. The suspects then fled the scene at high speed before abandoning the disabled truck in the area of 1725 Broadway Blvd., S.E.

Following the pursuit, two of the suspects were swiftly apprehended, while the third was found hiding inside a market and taken into custody by SWAT officers. The arrested individuals, Randy Lopez-Garcia, 33, Gildardo Peralez, 28, and Andres Loya, 39, are now facing charges related to stolen vehicles, evading law enforcement, and existing arrest warrants.