Gabrielle Arsiaga/News-Sun
Andres Sanchez, 26, of Eunice, was arrested on a litany of felony charges, after he allegedly stole a truck and ran from police.
He was arrested on Sept. 21 and charged with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, embezzlement, embezzlement of a motor vehicle, and criminal damage to property, all fourth-degree felonies; resisting evading or obstructing an officer and five counts of failure to appear, all misdemeanors.
On Sept. 21, HPD officers responded to Ave. A and E. Broadway St. in reference to a 2000 Chevrolet reported stolen just three hours before it was located.
Officers attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle driven by Sanchez at the intersection of East White Street and South Avenue A. Sanchez refused to stop, an HPD report noted. Officers did not pursue, for safety concerns, and a few minutes later the vehicle crashed at North Avenue A and East Broadway Street.
After the crash, Sanchez fled on foot and was chased and apprehended by officers.
“Officers B. Solomon stated (Sanchez) looked directly at him and continued running away from officers. Officers located (Sanchez) hiding behind a residence on the 200 block of North Avenue A,” the criminal complaint stated.
When police interviewed Sanchez he admitted to taking the Chevrolet pickup and looking through several vehicles before finding the keys inside of the Chevrolet.
In June, HPD detectives received a call from the owner of TMI Field Services out of Eunice, who said he located a vehicle that had been embezzled. The business owner said it was at Sanchez’s grandfather’s home located on the 1300 block of East Main Street in Hobbs.
According to the owner, his employee, Sanchez, took a work vehicle without permission on June 18. The owner also said Sanchez was only allowed to drive the vehicle within the property for work and was not allowed to drive outside of the work yard.
When officers arrived at the address, they spoke with Sanchez’s uncle who told officers he saw Sanchez driving the vehicle around that weekend.
While officers inventoried the vehicle, the business owner said things were missing.
“(The owner) pointed out a metal toolbox that was originally mounted to the bed of the truck, as well as a small sized cooler that belonged on there. Both items were sitting on the ground by the gate. Several tools from within the toolbox were missing and the cooler had ice, water, a liquor bottle and a beer bottle,” the criminal complaint stated. “The victim pointed out an acetylene bottle missing from the bed of the truck, and a set of mounts bent from their original positions.”
Officers also noticed damage to the truck — notably damage to the front bumper, the truck leaking fluids and interior damage on the dashboard area. The report stated the interior was “dishelved.”
The owner of the vehicle gave police the iPhone he allowed Sanchez to use while working. A conversation between Sanchez and a female in the phone messages stated how Sanchez wrecked the vehicle and planned on “ditching it.”
There was also a photo on the phone of Sanchez washing the truck with the caption, “Watching her daddy clean the truck.”
The search history on the phone listed recent searches of “oxygen and acetylene tanks full prices,” “cutting torch oxygen tank,” and “kimray valves.”
Since 2018, Sanchez has been arrested and charged 14 times for felonies.
In 2018, Sanchez was arrested and charged five times for possession of a controlled substance, all fourth-degree felonies; DUI, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, and no driver’s license all misdemeanors. He was found guilty on the possession and DUI charges.
Also in 2018, he was arrested and charged with attempt to commit a felony, to wit: possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. He was found guilty.
In 2019, Sanchez was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, both fourth-degree felonies; use or possession of drug paraphernalia, no seat belts, and no proof of insurance, all misdemeanors. He was found guilty of the possession charges.
He was also arrested and charged in 2019 with possession of a controlled substance, a fourth-degree felony; and resisting evading or obstructing an officer, a misdemeanor. The charges were dismissed by the prosecutor.
In 2020, Sanchez was arrested and charged with driving while license is revoked, a misdemeanor. The charges were dismissed due to failure to appear by prosecutor.
Sanchez was arrested in 2021 and charged with attempt to commit a felony, to wit: tampering with evidence, attempt to commit a felony, to wit: possession of a controlled substance, DWI, driving while license is revoked, stopping or parking prohibited, and possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors.
He was found guilty on all counts except for the driving while license is revoked. The charge was dismissed per plea agreement. In this case, he has an active arrest warrant for violating probation.
In 2021, Sanchez was arrested and charged with aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer, a fourth-degree felony; reckless driving, driving left of center, no driver’s license, driving while license is revoked, failure to register a vehicle, and no insurance, all misdemeanors.
The charges were set to be dismissed due to failure of the prosecutor to proceed within time limits, however, Sanchez violated terms of his probation and currently has a warrant for his arrest.
Sanchez has an active arrest warrant for out of state fugitive, embezzlement of a motor vehicle, criminal damage to property, and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, all fourth-degree felonies; and resisting evading or obstructing an officer, a misdemeanor.
