State Police Catch Tucumcari Car Thief after Pursuit on I-40

  1. NMDPS Home
  2. NMSP Press Releases
  3. State Police Catch Tucumcari Car Thief after Pursuit on I-40
Written by Officer Ray Wilson 01/05/2021

 

Tucumcari, NM – On January 5, 2021 at about 8:00 a.m., Tucumcari police dispatch issued a be on the lookout advisory (BOLO) for a vehicle that had just been stolen from a residence in Tucumcari. The vehicle was described as a white Chevrolet pickup displaying a Texas license plate of LKD3514. The stolen truck was last known to be traveling on Interstate 40. New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau agents in the area heard the BOLO over their police radio and began to look for it.

Agents encountered the stolen truck on Interstate 40 at around mile post 311 and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver of the stolen truck, later identified as Angelo Galvan, 24, of Tucumcari, NM, ignored the agents emergency lights and fled. Galvan led the agents on a pursuit west on Interstate 40 for about 40 miles exceeding speeds of one hundred miles per hour. During the pursuit Galvan drove recklessly, attempted to run other motorist off the road, and at one point struck the rear of a commercial motor vehicle.

New Mexico State Police uniformed officers took over the pursuit and were able to disable the stolen trucks front tire with tire deflation devices. Galvan continued to flee from officers and drive recklessly with the right front tire deflated. A state police officer performed a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT Maneuver) at around the 270 mile post on Interstate 40 and successfully brought the pursuit to a conclusion. Galvan was taken into custody without further incident.

Galvan is being Charged and Booked into the Guadalupe County Detention Center for Receiving and Transferring Stolen Vehicle (4th Degree Felony), Unlawful Taking of a Motor Vehicle (4Th Degree Felony), Aggravated Fleeing a Law enforcement officer (4th Degree Felony), and Criminal Damage to property (Misdemeanor).

No injuries were reported during this incident. The case is under investigation by the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau with no further information available.