Rocky Ford Police Make Arrest After High Speed Chase with Stolen Vehicle

Description: The Rocky Ford Police Department Released the Following Statement Regarding a High Speed Chase and Subsequent Arrest...

Rocky Ford Police Make Arrest After High Speed Chase with Stolen Vehicle

About 9:40pm, 12th May, 2024, an Otero County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) Deputy attempted to stop a green Honda Civic sedan, with no license plates attached and broken windows. The vehicle had been reported in a driving complaint in Fowler, about 20 minutes earlier. The vehicle failed to yield and a pursuit was initiated by the OCSO Deputy.

The suspect vehicle drove eastbound on Elm Avenue in Rocky Ford, before attempting to elude the Deputy by turning north onto S Main Street, proceeding through the red traffic light at Swink Avenue without stopping and then headed westbound on Swink Avenue back towards Fowler. 

Rocky Ford Police Chief McDonagh and Sergeant Moore intercepted the pursuit at S 9th Street and Swink Avenue and assisted OCSO with the pursuit. OCSO terminated their involvement in the pursuit in the Manzanola area and Rocky Ford Police Department became primary in the pursuit.

The driver of the Honda was driving dangerously and recklessly, at speeds as high as 100mph, and at times traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of US50.

Colorado State Patrol from CSP Troop 2C - Lamar/LaJunta were advised and requested to set up stop sticks west of Fowler. They obliged and the deployment of the stop sticks was safely executed and successful, deflating the vehicle’s right front tire, immensely slowing the speed of the suspect vehicle, however the driver chose to continue on the deflated tire, which eventually shredded, leaving just the aluminum wheel on the road.

The driver was pursued to Pueblo, before losing control of the vehicle, with the driver and passenger exiting the vehicle once it stopped. The driver ran and jumped a nearby residential fence, while the passenger, 29 year old, Pete Montoya, of Pueblo, was arrested on scene. 

A special thank you to Pueblo Police Department for assisting us on scene, with searching and deploying their drone technology with thermal imaging capabilities. 

Pueblo Fire Department were requested to attend and assisted with containment of the hazmat issues, resulting from the suspect vehicle spilling oil on the roadway.

Montoya was charged with Felony 5 Motor Vehicle Theft, Felony 5 Accessory to Crime and Misdemeanor 2 Obstructing Government Operations. 

Montoya was transported to the Bent County Jail after charge paperwork was completed at the Rocky Ford Police Department.

The involved vehicle has been impounded and towed, with a request being forwarded to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to attend and search for latent prints and DNA from the vehicle and the various items in the vehicle.

This is another example of great work by all involved agencies and the fruits of routine traffic stops, as the vehicle involved in this 52 mile pursuit was stolen, confirmed by VIN, once the pursuit was concluded.

We would also like to thank our amazing dispatchers from the Rocky Ford Emergency Communications Center, for their incredibly professional efforts on the radio, engaging and advising all units and agencies involved and keeping us all safe with their timely delivery and recording of critical information.

The Otero County Sheriff’s Office and the Rocky Ford Police Department are taking an aggressive stance on criminals that choose to commit crime in our great city and will use the full extent of the law to bring them to justice.

***All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law***

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