The Associated Press
CHIMAYO, N.M. (AP) - A 44-year-old northern New Mexico man was fatally shot after he allegedly used his pickup truck as a weapon against two state police officers who had pulled him over, authorities said.
Leo Lopez of the Chimayo area was shot three times through the windshield of his pickup truck, said his brother, Norman Lopez.
The shooting occurred about 2 p.m. Wednesday near Chimayo on Rio Arriba County Road 101, near the intersection of Rio Arriba County Road 100, said state police Lt. Jimmy Glascock.
Agents from a narcotics task force came in contact with the man on Rio Arriba County Road 101, Glascock said.
“The state police agents exited their unit and identified themselves as police officers when the subject aggressively backed up in an apparent attempt to use his vehicle as a weapon against the officers,” Glascock said in a news release. “While trying to protect himself and others from being severely injured or killed, a state police agent fired at the driver, fatally wounding him.”
Glascock said the officers were behind Lopez and he was backing toward them when the shots were fired.
State police and two detectives from the Albuquerque Police Department are investigating the shooting.
The two officers, who were not identified, were placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure after a shooting involving an officer.
Norman Lopez said he did not know the exact circumstances surrounding his brother’s death because state police did not release details to him.
“My brother never carried a weapon,” Norman Lopez said. “He would never hurt anybody.”
According to court documents, Lopez pleaded guilty in April 1994 to trafficking drugs and went to prison for a time. In a case still pending in district court in Albuquerque, he was charged with vehicle theft.
Lopez’s daughter, 26-year-old Tabitha Lopez, said her father was a heroin addict but the drug didn’t alter his good nature.
“He was a nice guy to everybody,” she said. “He was not the type of person to run away from police officers.”