Shoplifting Turns Into High-Speed Chase

A shoplifting call early Thursday morning turned into a high-speed chase through Santa Fe and onto the interstate, hitting speeds up to 110 mph. It all started with a call Santa Fe Police received about someone allegedly shoplifting clothing at the Walmart, 3251 Cerrillos Road, at 12:25 a.m., according to Sgt. Andrea Dobyns. The suspect left with two men in a black pickup truck, hitting a vehicle with no one inside as they left. Police spotted the pickup and followed as it swerved along Cerrillos. It passed through a parking lot at the intersection with St. Michael’s Drive, continued along St. Michael’s, then turned south on St. Francis Drive, traveling about 60 mph. The truck entered I-25 heading south, according to police, reaching speeds of up to 110 mph before turning back onto Cerrillos at about 105 mph, then making a U-turn back onto the interstate. Police set up stop sticks where the interstate meets N.M. 599, which the truck ran over, causing it to slow down. The driver of the pickup stopped. Police say the driver smelled like alcohol and had bloodshot, watery eyes. A subsequent sobriety test showed the driver had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.20, above the legal driving limit of 0.08. Police found empty alcohol containers, a marijuana pipe and a rifle in the truck. The driver, 21-year-old Kimberly Calabaza, was charged with aggravated DWI, aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer, leaving after striking an unattended vehicle, driving with a revoked license, negligent use of a weapon, possessing drug paraphernalia, open container violations and misdemeanor shoplifting. Passenger Derek Lovato, 19, was charged with being a minor under the influence and possessing an open container. Another passenger, Dordale Nez, 24, was charged with shoplifting and an open container violation. Calabaza is in the Santa Fe County Jail on a $25,000 surety bond. Lovato was released on a $1,500 surety bond and Nez was released on a $500 appearance bond.