A man who damaged a woman’s car while attempting to commit suicide was among the felony arrests State Police made between Aug. 18 and Aug 21, according to court documents. The following information came from documents filed in Rio Arriba County Magistrate Court:
• Jose Castillo, 23, of Albuquerque, was arrested Aug. 21 and charged with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and criminal damage to property over $1,000.
Castillo allegedly stole Rosanne Delille’s rented Pontiac from Christ in the Desert Monastery north of Abiquiú and drove it off an embankment.
Delille found Castillo behind her living quarters, soaking wet and incoherent. Castillo said he stole a car and attempted to commit suicide by driving it into the river. Delille then noticed her rental car, which she had left unlocked with the keys in the center console, was missing.
Delille found the car submerged in the river, and brought Castillo into the monastery, where he was given a change of clothes. Then she called police.
Castillo told police he stole the car and drove it off an embankment because he was hallucinating from drinking a sip of beer. Later he said he “killed” a 12-pack of beer found in the trunk of the Pontiac. Castillo denied trying to commit suicide, saying he just wanted to try driving the car off an embankment.
Castillo was bonded out of Rio Arriba County Jail Aug. 22 after posting $1,000.
• Michael Vigil, 39, of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, was arrested Aug. 19 and charged with aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony and leaving the scene of an accident.
Vigil used his vehicle to strike his cousin Harold Sena, who was on a motorcycle, in the parking lot of San Juan Apartments after arguing with him about $20 Vigil owed Sena. After the two argued, both drove into the San Juan Apartments parking lot, but Vigil turned around, striking Sena.
Vigil told police he did not mean to hit Sena but was afraid of him and lost control of the car. He said he left the accident scene in an effort to avoid a fight with Sena.
Sena, who declined medical attention, told police he had been asking Vigil for the $20 he owed him. A witness confirmed that Vigil struck Sena, knocking the motorcycle over.
Vigil was being held on a $5,000 bond at Rio Arriba County Jail.
•Adolfo Gasca Jr, 63, of Velarde, was arrested Aug. 18 and charged with trafficking cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of Vicodin, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with a suspended license, speeding and possession of an open container of alcohol.
Gasca was pulled over on County Road 51 for driving 30 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone. Gasca didn’t have a driver’s license, and told the officer his license was suspended with an arrest clause. Gasca also informed the officer he had a gun and $4,000 in the trunk and had drunk two beers before driving.
Police found an open can of beer, an open bottle of beer and an open vodka bottle in the car, a plastic bag full of Vicodin, $400 in Gasca’s wallet, and a pill container with a small amount of cocaine and $6,150 cash in the glove compartment.
Gasca claimed the cash was to pay his friend’s $400 bond.
Gasca was charged with cocaine trafficking because of the amount of cash in his possession and his admission that he dealt cocaine in the past.
Gasca was being held in lieu of $25,000 cash at Rio Arriba County Jail.