Man arrested after nearly running officers over, destroying neighbor's property

A man was arrested last week after allegedly nearly ramming into police officers with his vehicle and damaging his neighbor’s property.

Dustin Smith, 48, of Albuquerque, is facing three counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, reckless driving and criminal damage under $1,000. Smith does not currently have an attorney.

On Aug. 1, officers were dispatched to a home in the 1000 block of Grace Street NE after they received a call from Smith’s neighbor, who said Smith had broken a window and a camera on the property, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

Smith speeded onto the property while officers were speaking to his neighbor. Smith drove off the property to the north side of the block despite officers’ orders to turn off the vehicle and get out, according to the complaint.

Smith turned the vehicle around before revving the engine and speeding toward the officers, who took cover behind another vehicle, the complaint states.

“I believed based off the size and speed he was going, Dustin (Smith), could have caused that truck to hit us if rammed into,” an officer wrote in the complaint.

According to the complaint, Smith got out of the vehicle and did not listen to instructions from officers.

“He raised his hands angrily and aggressively and Sgt. Knaub was afraid he or fellow officers would be battered,” an officer wrote in the criminal complaint.

Smith ran toward officers with a key that officers originally thought was a knife. Officers said they were afraid of being stabbed, and shot Smith once with a non-lethal 40 mm round and arrested him, according to the criminal complaint.

“He was trying to speak to officers and his breath smelled of alcoholic beverages,” the complaint stated. Officers also saw an open alcohol container in Smith’s vehicle.

Smith refused several sobriety tests, the complaint said. Smith slammed his head on the floor several times, and when officers went to stop him, Smith began kicking them.