Man arrested after ramming into back of stopped police cruiser

Eric Garcia, 36, who has worked at the Metropolitan Detention Center for more than 10 years, was charged with aggravated DWI after crashing into a police car on Saturday night, according to a criminal complaint.

The complaint said an officer was patroling near Coors and Ladera NW after the state DrunkBuster hotline received several complaints of a red truck driving erratically in the area.  As he waited in a turn lane, a red truck slammed into the back of his vehicle. Garcia was the driver. The officer received injuries to his head, neck and back, the complaint said.

Second Judicial District Court records show that Garcia has pleaded guilty three times before to DWI charges.

MDC spokeswoman Heather Lough said Garcia was hired more than 10 years ago when background checks were less stringent. She said now no applicants are accepted at MDC who have had any DWIs in the past five years or multiple DWIs. Lough said Garcia has been placed on administrative leave until MDC completes an internal investigation.

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Sheriff's deputies are saying at this hour that a body has been found in a ditchbank near 2nd Street and Lagunitas SW. The body was seen by a passerby at about 5 p.m. and detectives are on their way to the scene. No other details are available but keep checking back for more on this breaking story. 

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Three of four women identified so far knew each other.

Julie Nieto, born in August 1980, becomes the fourth woman identified from remains found at the "largest crime scene in Albuquerque history" near 118th and Dennis Chavez SW, police announced at a news conference this afternoon.

Nieto joins Cinnamon Elks, Victoria Chavez and Michelle Valdez. Police also confirmed the identity of Elks at this afternoon's news conference.

Investigators have used dental records provided by family members to identify the four women.

Cause and manner of death still have not been determined for any of the 13 victims, and the Office of the Medical Investigator is still trying to identify the rest of the remains.

Stay tuned to ABQJournal.com for more information as it becomes available, and pick up a copy of tomorrow's paper for more coverage.

Here are some of the Albuquerque Journal's earlier stories:

Today: "Third West Mesa Victim Identified"

March 4: "Lost Women: Don't These Cases Deserve a Deeper Look?"

Feb. 28: "Body Count: 13"

Feb. 27: "No More Wondering"

Feb. 26: "Pregnant Victim Identified"

Feb. 26: "Scientist Helps ID the Remains"

Feb. 24: "Body Count at 10: Recent discovery on West Mesa is woman who was pregnant"

Feb. 19: "Skeleton Completed"

Feb. 18: "Skeleton Puts Count at Six"

Feb. 10: "Remains of 3 Found on West Mesa"

Feb. 7: "Bones Uncovered After Excavation"

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DA pledges to keep investigating suspects in Yi killings, even as charges are dropped

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