Santa Fe, NM – A man was injured after a New Mexico State Police officer used a stun gun during an arrest following a short pursuit that ended with the suspect allegedly entering a home Friday evening, according to court records.
Fousto Jose Espinoza-Rivera, 30, of Houston, Texas, is facing multiple charges including driving while under the influence of drugs, aggravated fleeing from police, and resisting police, following the incident. He was booked into the Santa Fe County jail early Saturday.
The incident began when officers initially pulled Espinoza-Rivera over off St. Michael’s Drive. According to a probable cause statement, Espinoza-Rivera then fled down Fifth Street, leading police on a brief chase. A state police helicopter was dispatched to assist in tracking him.
The pursuit concluded when Espinoza-Rivera slowed and pulled into the driveway of a home on Fifth Street. The officer stated in their report that they rear-ended Espinoza-Rivera’s vehicle as it slowed. Espinoza-Rivera then ran into the house and slammed the door shut.
The officer expressed concern that Espinoza-Rivera “may be barricading inside of a residence that was not his,” and noted the presence of another vehicle in the driveway, raising fears for the safety of potential civilians inside. “I feared there would be civilians in the residence as there was a separate uninvolved vehicle in the driveway of the residence,” the officer wrote in the statement. “In order to keep the situation from escalating into a situation where uninvolved civilians were placed in harm’s way, I kicked the door open in an attempt to apprehend the male.”
Once inside the home, the officer chased Espinoza-Rivera into a hallway and deployed a stun gun, hitting him with three cartridges before successfully arresting him.
A paramedic evaluated Espinoza-Rivera at the scene and recommended he receive further medical treatment at a hospital for a cut on his leg sustained from the stun gun.
Police also reported a “strong odor of marijuana” emanating from Espinoza-Rivera’s car, along with the presence of open containers. The case remains under investigation.
This incident comes amid a broader scrutiny of police actions in Santa Fe, with at least ten tort claim notices filed against the city this year related to police shootings, chases, and other incidents involving the use of force, according to reporting by the Santa Fe New Mexican. A recent article in the same publication detailed a surge in such claims, raising questions about potential lawsuits against the city and its police department.
