Crime Spree

CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – After allegedly attempting to run down a Homeland Security Agent near Route 66 Casino Hotel on the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, Cibola County local Joshua Hall allegedly escaped from a prison transport van with three other inmates, wrecking at least one Cibola County Sheriff’s Office police truck in the process before being apprehended just outside of Budville, N.M. in Cibola County. As of press time, Hall was being held at the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, N.M. The alleged crime spree began days ago in the City of Grants, N.M.

In the United States justice system, all people are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

March 14

A rash of car burglaries has struck the City of Grants recently, with Grants Police Chief Jeff Marez explaining that most of these thefts are being caused by people from Albuquerque, N.M. On March 14 a red colored work truck was stolen from Diamond G Home Center and Rental in Grants. Being a community staple, Cibola County residents spotted the truck in Albuquerque and called both the police and the store.

Leveraging his connections, Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace informed Albuquerque Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office to be on the lookout for the stolen red truck.

March 15

According to numerous sources identified by the Cibola Citizen, a Homeland Security Investigations Agent, who has not yet been named by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, noticed the red truck at Route 66 Casino Hotel on Laguna land in Bernalillo County.

Jurisdictional authority becomes difficult on sovereign indigenous land, which is why the FBI, HSI, and Department of Justice handle criminal actions on indigenous land. HSI was in the area doing routine narcotics interdiction.

Details are scarce because this situation is currently being investigated by the FBI. From what the Cibola Citizen has managed to discover from multiple different sources, an HSI Agent went to apprehend Hall, who allegedly was in possession of the red truck, when Hall attempted to run over the agent.

Hall was allegedly with another Cibola County local, Marc Shwenk, when the HSI Agent used his firearm, bringing the situation to an end. This shooting is being investigated by the FBI. Hall and Shwenk were both apprehended and taken to the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, N.M.

March 21

At some point so far unknown to the Cibola Citizen, McKinley County learned that Hall was being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center. McKinley County had a warrant for Hall’s arrest, and requested to transfer him to Gallup, N.M.

The transfer was approved.

On March 21, Hall and two other inmates, identified as LaCosta Reeves and Rickie Billie by the New Mexico State Police, were being transferred to Gallup. The three inmates were being transferred by McKinley County Sheriff’s Office.

LaCosta Reeves, a 45-year-old Gallup woman, was handcuffed and placed in the side compartment of the transport van. Rickie Billie, a 36-year-old Albuquerque, N.M. man, was shackled to 35-year-old Milan, N.M. man Josh Hall and both were placed in the rear of the transport vehicle.

While travelling Westbound on Interstate 40, Hall began to complain that he couldn’t breathe. The deputy driving the transport van stopped at Route 66 Casino to check on Hall. At some point, Hall managed to get free of his shackles, he then began to complain that he was having a heart attack. As the deputy went to check on Hall, the inmates were allegedly able to overpower and wound the deputy to take control of the transport vehicle.

During the altercation, Hall allegedly tried to take the deputy’s firearm, he was unsuccessful but managed to steal the van. According to a press release from the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office, only Hall was able to escape his cuffs, the other two inmates remained locked up in the side and rear compartments of the van.

Law enforcement was able to catch up with the inmates near the village of Tohajiilee. After a long and dangerous pursuit hitting speeds upwards of 90 miles per hour, law enforcement successfully used spike strips to disable the transport vehicle’s tires.

Eventually, the transport vehicle attempted to make a U-Turn near Budville, N.M. Being unable to escape, the vehicle drove straight into law enforcement, striking at least two Cibola County Sheriff’s trucks, and one New Mexico State Police cruiser. This crash caused significant damage to at least one CCSO truck, which was hit head-on.

No Cibola County Sheriff’s Deputies, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputies, Laguna Police Officers, or New Mexico State Police Officers were injured in the pursuit, although significant damage was caused to law enforcement vehicles.

Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace said that this incident follows a wider pattern of violence against law enforcement. Claiming that criminals are less worried about the consequences of their actions because they are rarely held accountable. Sheriff Mace said that he was grateful the situation wasn’t worse and that CCSO deputies were safe through the whole incident.