New Mexico State Police officers arrested a 40-year-old Colorado man for allegedly driving a stolen Chevrolet Colorado truck after an automated license plate reader identified it.
State Police Officer Estevan Trujillo wrote in a statement of probable cause for James Saunders’ arrest that, on April 2, he was traveling south on State Road 291 when the Dodge utility van passed in the opposite direction.
“As the vehicle passed me, my in-car License Plate Reader (LPR) alerted to the van’s front license plate indicating the vehicle was stolen,” Trujillo wrote.
He did a U-turn, got behind the van and checked the license plate and confirmed it was reported as stolen. Then he turned on his police lights, pulled the vehicle over and “conducted a high risk stop,” he wrote.
He gave commands to Saunders to get out of the car, handcuffed him and put him in the back of his patrol vehicle. Two other officers arrived and interrogated Saunders, Trujillo wrote.
“James advised he was traveling from Colorado to Dallas and the vehicle was given to him in good faith by a friend he identified as ‘Josh,’” he wrote. “James was then asked if he worked for the company the van belonged to as he was wearing a hat and shirt with the company insignia and avoided answering the question.”
Officers then found that Saunders had two warrants for his arrest, both out of Colorado — one for a parole violation and a second failure to appear warrant on a burglary charge.
Trujillo charged Saunders with possession of a stolen vehicle and took him to the Rio Arriba County Detention Center.
A preliminary hearing is set for May 21. After the initial arrest, prosecutors filed two extradition cases which were bound over to district court. They have hearing dates set for the beginning of May.
According to the fugitive paperwork, he also goes by the last name of Sanders.