Cop stop, dash cam net Sandoval sheriff

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The Sandoval County sheriff could be cited for traffic violations after being pulled over for speeding, driving erratically and running a red light, the New Mexico State Police chief said Thursday.

Chief Faron Segotta said he was concerned that someone could have gotten hurt after Sheriff John Paul Trujillo was seen driving erratically on Interstate 25 between the Bernalillo and Tramway Road exits Thursday morning.

A State Police undercover officer said she spotted Trujillo's unmarked, undercover SUV switching lanes erratically and speeding up to 80 mph in a 55 mph zone on the interstate.

They had no idea Trujillo was behind the wheel.

The State Police officer called for backup when she spotted that the SUV had a California license plate, but was registered to a Rio Rancho address. She suspected it could be stolen.

Dash camera video from a uniformed State Police officer showed him trying to catch up to the sheriff's vehicle on Alameda Boulevard NE at San Mateo. When he turned on his lights and sirens at a red light on Alameda and Jefferson, the video shows the sheriff running the red light, pulling over and activating his own emergency lights.

Segotta said that when backup arrived, the State Police officers gave verbal commands to have the driver step out of the vehicle, but the video shows the sheriff took a few minutes to step out.

His driver's window was rolled down.

The dash cam shows Sheriff Trujillo throwing up his hands and walking up to officers.

Trujillo told KRQE News 13 that when officers recognized it was him, they let him go. He told officers that he was responding to an accident.

A report of the accident shows that Trujillo claims he was responding to was a report of a motorcycle accident that happened the night before at San Pedro and the I-25 frontage road. The owner of the motorcycle said deputies had found his bike where he had crashed it and that the sheriff's office called to make sure he was OK Thursday morning.

Trujillo said that he did nothing and that it's normal for undercover, unmarked vehicles to have out-of-state license plates.

Segotta said Trujillo could be cited for traffic violations after they've looked into his claims he was responding to an accident.