Los Lunas, New Mexico

From Albuquerque’s KOBtv.com of January 2, 2007

Car theft ends with two hospitalized

The attempted theft of a car in Los Lunas Tuesday morning ended with a seven mile car chase and two men in the hospital.

Officials say that a homeowner heard his son’s Cadillac running outside the house and ran outdoors to stop the man in the car from leaving.

According to police, the man in the car then used the car to pin the other man against a fence. The homeowner responded by firing a shot through the windshield, striking the suspect once.

The homeowner pursued the stolen car for seven miles until it ended up crashed in a ditch. The suspect fled to a local volunteer fire department where he collapsed.

Both the homeowner and the suspect were taken to University of New Mexico Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Charges against the alleged car thief are pending. Officials need to consult with the Valencia County district attorney before determining what, if any, charges will be filed against the homeowner.

From the KRQE.com of January 2, 2007

Pinned man shoots alleged car thief

The getaway went all wrong for an alleged car thief in Valencia County this morning when he fled with a Cadillac and a gunshot wound.

Police say the alleged thief pinned the homeowner with the car he was trying to steal, but got shot himself in the process.

This morning a Tomé homeowner woke up to see his son's car being stolen out of the family's driveway. He armed himself and ran out to make it clear this was not going to be an easy steal.

The suspected thief drove the Cadillac he was trying to steal toward the homeowner pinning him against a fence. The homeowner retaliated by firing one shot.

That shot hit the suspect, but he fled the scene in the Cadillac with the homeowner following him for seven miles.

“When he went out, he was pinned by that vehicle against the fence,” New Mexico State Police Sgt. Robert Miller said. “There were shots fired by the victim.

“At that point they continued on a small pursuit.”

But before the homeowner caught up, the alleged thief crashed and abandoned the Caddy. While bleeding from his wound, he stumbled and fell in front of a commuter driving to work who happened to be behind him.

The commuter thought he hit the suspect with his truck, ran out alarmed and then realized the bleeding man had been shot. He then called 911.

The suspect remains at UNM hospital with a gunshot wound, but police said it is not life-threatening.

The father was also taken to UNM Hospital but treated and released.