NMSP NEWS RELEASE

On Wednesday, March 2, at around 11:30 a.m. the New Mexico State Police was asked to assist in a pursuit involving the Santa Fe Police Department and a suspect involved in a kidnapping and carjacking that had just taken place at around 11:00 a.m. in Santa Fe. 

State Police learned that Santa Fe Police Officers initiated the pursuit near Sawmill Road and St. Francis Drive.  The pursuit continued to Interstate 25 where the suspect drove in the wrong direction, traveling south in the northbound lanes of Interstate 25.  Near milepost 286 just north of Old Pecos Trail a crash occurred involving two Santa Fe Police patrol units, the suspect vehicle, and an uninvolved vehicle.  

A Santa Fe Police officer and the driver of the uninvolved vehicle suffered fatal injuries and died in the crash.  Their names are not being released until families have been properly notified.  The events of that crash are still under investigation by the New Mexico State Police Uniform Bureau and New Mexico State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit. 

After the crash, the kidnapping victim exited the suspect vehicle and was transported to a local hospital.  Her condition is not known.  According to witnesses, an unidentified male subject fled the area on foot and is still at large. He was described as wearing a red shirt, black pants, and a black jacket. 

Interstate 25 remains closed in both directions from milepost 284, Old Pecos Trail to milepost 290, the U.S. Highway 285 Eldorado exit while the crash scene is investigated, and the New Mexico State Police search for the suspect.

This incident is under investigation by the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau.  Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the New Mexico State Police at (505) 841-9256, option 0.