Roswell Daily Record
Two die, officer left in critical condition
Vol. 122, No. 253 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
What started as a motorist assist turned into an officer-involved shooting and a multi-car accident, two people dead, one New Mexico State Police sergeant shot and a Roswell Police of ficer in critical condition at a Lubbock hospital, Monday. The incident began around 9 a.m. Monday, when NMSP Investigation Bureau Sgt. Lawrence Murray stopped to help a woman who was standing on the side of US 285 at mile post 87. Murray spoke with her. She advised that her significant other was farther up the road. The sergeant went to the location where the male subject sat in his vehicle. When Murray turned on his vehicle’s flashers and sirens, the male subject drove away northbound, and a pursuit ensued.
Of ficers from Chaves County Sheriff’s Office and Roswell Police Department were called for backup. The vehicles traveled northbound along 285 toward Chickasaw Road. Of ficials laid out spike strips. The male subject in a green Jaguar drove over the strips, deflating the tires. Pursuit continued for another four miles. As the suspect vehicle came to a stop, the driver produced a weapon and shot at law enforcement. Of ficials retur ned fire. Murray was struck in the upper thigh. The male subject, later identified as Cristoval Quintana, 30, was killed. NMSP Public Infor mation Of ficer Emmanuel Gutierrez could not say how many shots were fired. “These cases are very intensive and complicated.” He noted that the investigation is ongoing and the crime scene has yet to be completely assessed.
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
October 22, 2013
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Gutierrez described Quintana as a violent offender who had been arrested previously for trafficking drugs. He was arrested in Albuquerque on charges of armed robbery in September 2004. He had been released from prison but re-mained on probation until August 2016. Officials set up road blocks along Hwy 285. Around 11:30 a.m., an accident resulted The scene of the events Monday afternoon. when a commercial vehicle driv39-year -old Rose Becerra he was hit. The RPD was ing southbound plowed of Lake Arthur, was air - unwilling to release the into another vehicle, which lifted to Roswell and pro- name of the sergeant, sayhad a knock-on effect. The nounced dead on arrival. ing only that he was part first vehicle struck a red The RPD sergeant was of their Criminal Investigapickup, ran into a white flown to a hospital in Lub- tion Division. passenger car which then bock where he remains in NMSP Capt. Dina Orozco hit a third vehicle, a black critical condition. CCSO said Murray was transSUV. The truck veered into Lt. Britt Snyder was wit- ported to Easter n New the median strip and into ness to the scene, saying Mexico Medical Center, Roswell Police Department he was less than 50 feet treated for his injuries and CID sergeant. The driver, away from the officer when released.
Jessica Palmer Photo
Hwy 285 was still closed as of 9 p.m. Monday and the investigation is continuing. Gutierrez could not say when the road would be open to traf fic. “We have had two major incidents in a single location, but we have a lot of cooperation with other agencies conducting our in inquiries.”
Obama: ‘No excuse’ for signup problems Tuesday marks 100
years since mine disaster
AP Photo
President Barack Obama gestures while speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Monday, on the initial rollout of the health care overhaul.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Monday offered “no excuses” — and little explanation — for the computer bugs still frustrating Americans
who are trying to enroll online for insurance plans at the center of his health care law. But software developers tasked with building the site said they
saw signs a year ago that the debut could fail. One source of the troubles appears to be the testing procedures employed before the rollout three
weeks ago. Several developers of the HealthCare.gov website told The Associated See SIGNUP, Page A3
Nev. student opens fire, kills teacher and himself SPARKS, Nev. (AP) — A student at a Nevada middle school opened fire with a semi-automatic handgun on campus just before the starting bell Monday, wounding two 12-year -old boys and killing a math teacher who was trying to protect children from their classmate. The unidentified shooter killed himself with the gun after a rampage that occurred in front of 20 to 30 horrified students who had just retur ned to school from a weeklong fall break. Authorities did not provide a motive for the shooting, and it’s unknown where the student got the gun. Teacher Michael Landsberry was being hailed for his actions during the
See SHOOTING, Page A3
SANTA FE (AP) — There’s little left of Dawson except for building foundations and a dusty cemetery, but the former mining town in northeastern New Mexico lives on in history books. Tuesday marks the 100th anniversary of the Dawson coal mine disaster in which the Mine Safety and Health Administration says 263 miners were killed Oct. 22, 1913. The tragedy made Dawson, located northeast of Cimarron in Colfax County, the site of the second-highest death toll in a U.S. coal mine accident. The state mine inspector blamed coal dust for the blast that sent flames 100 feet out of the mine’s entrance, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported. Rescue teams who entered the mine told grisly tales. “One man, unidentified, was found leaning against a wall with both hands elevated to his face, as though he was striving to ward off a sudden and unexpected blow,” reported the Albuquerque Morning Democrat. “Another was found standing erect with his pick still in his hand, just as he had struck his last flow into the coal.” Most of those killed were recent immigrants from Italy, Greece and other countries. About 25 miners survived. At the time of the accident, Dawson was a town of several thousand with a company-owned department store and an opera house that showed motion pictures on weekends. “As long as they were working, everybody was happy there,” said Raton resident Edward “Lalo” Zavala, 82, who was born in Dawson in 1931. “We had everything there. The schools were some of the best we ever had.” Dawson closed in 1950 after the mines were closed that May. Phelps Dodge Corp. gave residents until the end of June to leave, then razed most of the buildings and fenced off the area, except for the graveyard.
Second council candidate runs for Ward 2
Courtesy Photo
Caleb Grant, left, announced his bid for Roswell City Council Ward 2. The seat is now held by Councilman Jimmy Craig.
JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
AP Photo
A tearful Michelle Hernandez, left, is led away from Agnes Risley Elementary School following a shooting at Sparks Middle School in Sparks, Nev., on Monday.
HIGH 70 LOW 40
TODAY’S FORECAST
THERE ARE NO OBITUARIES FOR TODAY, OCT. 22, 2013.
OBITUARIES
Business owner Caleb Grant, a lifelong Roswell resident, is the second candidate to announce a bid to run for City Council in Ward 2. The seat is held by Councilman Jimmy Craig. Earlier this month, U.S. Army veteran and former See CANDIDATE, Page A3
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B5 COMICS .................B3 ENTERTAINMENT .....A8 FINANCIAL ..............B4
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2 HOROSCOPES .........A8 LOTTERIES .............A2 NATION ..................A6
OPINION .................A4 SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8