The man who led police on a high-speed vehicle pursuit Wednesday afternoon before ditching his pickup and eluding capture was arrested the following day by a multi-agency task force.
Armando Chayanne Nino, 22, was arrested Thursday afternoon and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center on two outstanding warrants and a cash-only bond set at $30,000. Criminal charges on the warrants are for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of narcotics.
Nino faces additional charges following the investigation related to the pursuit. Those charges include distribution of marijuana, possession with the intent to traffic methamphetamine, tampering with evidence and aggravated fleeing from law enforcement. More charges are possible.
On Wednesday, July 24, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force – including officers from the Las Cruces Police Department’s Gang Unit and Targeting Neighborhood Threats Unit – attempted to make contact with Nino who was leaving his residence just off north Del Rey Boulevard. When officers attempted to stop Nino’s red Chevrolet pickup, he accelerated at a high rate of speed and led police on a pursuit south on Del Rey and southbound on Telshor Boulevard.
Along Telshor Boulevard Nino discarded a bag from the pickup that was later found to contain suspected narcotics.
Police called-off the pursuit as Nino’s vehicle headed toward a potentially congested area near Lohman Avenue. A short while later a Las Cruces Police officer located the pickup near Young Park where Nino abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into a residential area.
Police were unable to locate Nino that day but found him again Thursday at his residence off north Del Rey. He was taken into custody without incident when he left the residence as a passenger in a white Chrysler 200. No charges have been filed against the driver of the Chrysler. The investigation is ongoing.