Man escapes police vehicle after chase

41-year-old still missing, faces aggravated fleeing, aggravated assault, escape from custody charges

A fleeing suspect led deputies from two New Mexico counties on a wild vehicle pursuit in Santa Fe on Friday night, colliding with a Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputy’s patrol car before escaping through an open patrol car window after being apprehended.

An incident report provided by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office states Manuelito Arguello, 41, will be charged in Sandoval County with aggravated fleeing, aggravated assault on a police officer, escape from custody, reckless driving and driving while having a revoked license.

Arguello was charged with two counts of resisting, evading or obstructing an officer and leaving the scene of an accident Monday afternoon in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court, according to online court records.

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Juan Ríos wrote in an email Arguello had not been arrested as of Monday afternoon.

Sandoval County deputies started pursuing Arguello Friday evening after the red Hyundai he was driving nearly struck a deputy’s patrol car, according to the incident report. Local deputies joined the pursuit at about 6:30 p.m., once the vehicle crossed into Santa Fe County.

Deputies temporarily lost Arguello but relocated his vehicle near the I-25 East Frontage Road and Rattlesnake Road area, according to the incident report.

Arguello is accused of moving into the wrong lane of travel before crashing into a chain link fence. The incident report states Arguello continued fleeing deputies after striking the fence, but collided head-on with a deputy’s vehicle at a low speed. He fled back onto I-25 East Frontage Road after the crash in spite of deputies’ commands.

Arguello was apprehended by deputies after abruptly stopping his vehicle and fleeing on foot. The incident report states Arguello apologized to deputies for not stopping and claimed he was on the way to a hospital because of “his mom’s health.”

A deputy stated he could smell a strong odor of alcohol on Arguello, according to the incident report. Online court records show Arguello has an active warrant for his arrest in Bernalillo County in connection with an alleged 2021 drunken driving incident.

Sandoval County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the spot where Arguello was apprehended and took him into custody. However, shortly after his car was towed, deputies discovered Arguello had escaped a patrol vehicle through a rear window.

“It appeared that Manuelito … forced the window open and used his hands to open the vehicle door from the outside,” according to the incident report. “I observed fresh hand marks in the dust on the vehicle near the door handle.”

Deputies from both agencies searched the area but could not locate Arguello.