DoA Ana County DA Discusses Deputy-Involved Shooting

DO?A ANA COUNTY, N.M. – The Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Deputy who shot and killed a man while on duty has been cleared of any charges.

At a press conference Tuesday, Dona Ana District Attorney Susana Martinez and Sheriff’s Lieutenant Rich Libicer said the life ofDeputy Carlos Montoya was in danger and he acted in self-defense. Montoya shot and killed 34-year-old Megan Causey in July.

“At this time, we have no charges to file against the officer,” stated Martinez. “I have found the shooting was justified and the officer did notcommit a crime.”

Deputies were called out to Causey’s home due to a domestic disturbance call on July 2, 2007. Montoya claimed Causey was about to leave the residence when they arrived on scene. Causey allegedly directed his van in the direction of the officers and Montoya proceeded to shoot him in the neck, officials say.

Causey died at the scene immediately after the shot. His father, Glenn Causey, was outraged because he felt the officers acted too quickly and without motive. “[I heard] Stop! Bang! That’s the only thing they said and they weren’t even here for a minute,” he told ABC-7 the day of the incident.

According toinvestigators, the elder Causeywas one of the ‘reporting parties’ to the domestic disturbance calland was in thepath of thevan when his son drove towards Montoya. “He had actually backed out of the home, or out of the parking lot, and for whatever reason, put [the van] into drive – driving towards the officer,” said Richard Chavez, an investigator with the Doa Ana County Sherriff’s Office.

Theinvestigationconfirmed thatCausey accelerated hisvan towards Montoya while pulling back into his driveway, Martinez said. Pictures presented as evidence showed Montoya was only five feet away from the van when he fired his gun.

Martinez said the task force assigned to investigate the shooting determined there was no wrongdoing on the part of the deputy.The report statedofficer Montoya “took actions that were consistent with his training and consistent with the circumstances at the scene,” she said.

During the shooting, Causey’s six-year-old son was inside the van. The boy was not interviewed during the investigation.

Martinezclaimed Causey was completely responsible for the shooting. “Had Megan Causey lived,” she stated, “he would have been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.”

Todd Garrison, a Dona Ana County Sheriff Deputy, tells ABC-7 Montoya reacted in self-defense. “He did what he needed to do…his training kicked in,” he said.

Rick Sandoval, the attorney hired by Causey’s wife to represent the interests of their son Dylan, stated, “the investigators have a lot of information they are choosing to ignore that we will seek to discover in court.”

Sandoval stated Montoya will be named in complaints of civil rights violations filed byCausey’s wife on behalf oftheir son. Causey’s wife and son live in Sparks, Nevada.

Causey’s wife claimed Dona County investigators tried to contact her son for the investigation, Sandoval said. He also stated that Causey was tased after he was shot.

According to Sandoval, Causey’s van was stuck in so much mud the day of the fatal incident that police had to help the tow truck remove thevan from the property. This is evidence the van was notmoving at the time of the shooting, he said.

Montoya has been on administrative leave pending the outcome of this investigation. He will be back on duty beginning next week.