Around New Mexico

An Albuquerque man is facing animal cruelty charges after police said he tossed a puppy in the air to get back at the officers.

Basilio Gavilan was arrested early Monday at an Albuquerque motel following a disturbance call, KRQE-TV reported. Police said they found a drunk Gavilan violating the hotel’s no alcohol policy.

According to a criminal complaint, police told Gavilan that he needed to pack up and get out. Police said that’s when he picked up his Shar-Pei named Bongo, brought the weeks-old puppy up to his arm level, and threw him up in the air.

Authorities said the puppy fell on his head.

Police said Bongo is doing well and may be put up for adoption.

It was unclear if Gavilan had an attorney.

Officers Look Into Animal Deaths

ROSWELL — Authorities in Roswell are trying to find out who fatally shot a dog and three cats over the past few days.

KRQE-TV reported that police don’t have any suspects and don’t know whether the cases are connected.

A stray cat was found Monday shot to death with a pellet gun. A Chihuahua was killed Saturday with what appeared to be a .22-caliber round. And the bodies of two cats that had been shot with a BB gun were found outside a business recently.

Animal Control officers say feral cats are a problem and that they pick up about five a day. But they don’t know who’s shooting the animals.

Mom Made Girl Pretend To Drive

LAS CRUCES — A New Mexico woman has been indicted after police said she made her daughter with special needs pretend to drive while she was being stopped on suspicion of drunken driving.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that a Doña Ana County grand jury indicted 32-year-old Reyna Guadalupe Quintana last week on charges of drunken driving, negligent child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to court documents, police stopped Quintana in December for swerving and driving her minivan 40 mph in a 55 mph zone. Documents said police found “a young female” at the wheel who later told police that her mother asked her to jump on the driver’s seat because she did not want to get arrested.

Man Tied Up Driver Accused of DWI

FARMINGTON — A New Mexico man hogtied a suspected drunken driver accused of barely avoiding several head-on collisions on a stretch of U.S. 550.

Justin Canuto was seen driving southbound in the northbound lanes of the highway on Sunday night. The 22-year-old pulled over next to a convenience store where he was confronted by several witnesses who had followed him into the parking lot.

Canuto became belligerent and tried to run away, prompting another man to tackle and hogtie him before sheriff’s deputies arrived, San Juan County Sheriff’s Sgt. Al Jamison. Canuto was later charged with drunken driving.

“They were all very adamant that they wanted something to happen,” Jamison said of the witnesses.

While deputies don’t recommend tying up suspected drunken drivers, no charges were filed against the man who tied Canuto.

“I think they were trying to save lives, and if you look at that intent, I’ll stand behind them every day,” Sheriff Ken Christesen said.
— This article appeared on page C2 of the Albuquerque Journal