Fleeing suspects see charges disappear

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The video of a suspect leading a dangerous chase through Albuquerque is astonishing, but KRQE News 13 learned pursuits happen often with resulting charges often pleaded away without penalty.

Albuquerque police said Thursday’s 25-minute chase was too dangerous for officers to stay close behind so, the sheriff's department chopper tailed driver Daniel Archuleta as he sped the wrong way down streets, barely missing cars and school buses. He also drove over sidewalks and medians.

Police said it was all in a stolen SUV.

These scenes aren't uncommon around New Mexico.

Many remember police chasing a stolen school bus down Interstate 40. There was also a high-speed chase through Santa Fe’s streets where the suspect blew through spike strips and almost ran over an officer.

Each chase is a crime with drivers usually trying to escape arrest for another crime. All of them putting people in danger.

“The driver purposely crossed the double yellow lines onto oncoming traffic.  Thankfully no one was hurt,” Santa Fe Police Department Lt. Louis Carlos said.

Albuquerque is the hotspot. Metropolitan Detention Center records show about 300 people have been charged with aggravated fleeing over the past three years.

That comes out to about 100 a year, roughly two a week.

News 13 looked at five cases that made the news to see what happened to the drivers and if they actually faced punishment for the fourth-degree felony, which carries up to 18 months behind bars.

In two separate cases, Jason Butner and Nakiesha Barnes , both got the max sentence for the aggravated fleeing charge.     

Butner killed an 86-year-old man in a crash as he sped from officers in a stolen car. He got 11 years for that in all.

Barnes, who police said was drunk, hit a pedestrian breaking his legs. She also got the max.

However, there were three other cases we looked at that had a different ending.

• Ryan Ismari stole a pizza delivery car before leading Albuquerque police on a high-speed chase. The fleeing charge was dismissed by prosecutors. He was only given probation for the car theft.
   
• Daniel Rivera was in a stolen car when he rammed a police cruiser and sent the officer to the hospital. The aggravated battery charge stuck. The aggravated fleeing charge was dismissed.
   
• Christopher Lovato's police chase was caught on cell phone video. APD said he tried to hit an officer in a stolen car, too.  He pleaded guilty to the aggravated burglary and aggravated assault on the officer charges. The car theft and aggravated fleeing charges were dismissed.

The District Attorney’s Office said on two of those three dismissals the aggravated fleeing charge were dropped as part of the plea deals.

The DA declined to comment on camera saying she'd need more time to find out specifics on those cases.