Carjacking suspect crashes on I-40

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Police pursued a carjacking suspect for nearly an hour Wednesday morning until the suspect crashed four miles west of Paseo del Volcan on Interstate 40.

He was driving a blue Saturn during the pursuit. Police later identified him as Samuel Maldonado, 26.

According to police, Maldonado allegedly pulled a woman out of her car on Campus Boulevard near Downtown Albuquerque. He took off, drove down Tramway almost to the Sandoval County line, turned around on Tramway. He also went across Second Street, down to Coors Boulevard and down to Paseo del Volcan. He then entered I-40, going west. He wrecked the car later after being "pitted" by police. He caused at least four accidents during this chase.

At first, it was believed that he was perhaps a walk-away from UNM's mental facility, but everyone in that facility is accounted for.

According to an employee at UNM hospital, at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, a patient was brought into the emergency room at UNM hospital, allegedly for suicide evaluation. The person refused treatment. He walked out of the emergency room at that time. The description of that patient matches the description of Maldonado, according to the victim. The woman was not injured during the carjacking.