Dona Ana sheriff’s deputies arrest man allegedly posing as police officer

A man allegedly posing as a police officer led Dona Ana County sheriff’s deputies on a high speed chase this afternoon.

The man was first reported on Pyramid Peak Lane. He was pulled over near Baldy Peak Way, and then allegedly took off down Dripping Springs Road at speeds approaching 100 miles an hour. The chase ended on I-25, about a mile south of University Avenue.

Deputies arrested 38-year-old Eduardo Soliz on charges of aggravated fleeing of a police officer, receiving stolen property and impersonating a police officer.

Sheriffs deputies say the still don’t know what he was doing in that neighborhood. They say he never showed a weapon, but was wearing a bullet proof vest which he eventually threw from of his car during the chase.

“The resident did what they should’ve done in this circumstance which was call the police,” spokeswoman Kelly Jameson said.

Jameson says Soliz was prowling around a residential area near Pyramid Peak when that resident alerted them. Deputies say they stopped Soliz at Baldy Peak Way. She says he took off again, weaving in and out of traffic on dripping springs road at speeds up to 100 miles per hour in a black Chrysler 300.

“Upon initial inspection of the vehicle he was in which we found out to be stolen theres a large amount of marijuana in this car,” Jameson said.

The suspect allegedly turned on Tiger Woods Drive, hitting a parked car. After driving over a spike strip, his tires deflated and the chase ended near the exit from I-25 to I-10.

“The potential for disaster was very great we were just very thankful it was brought to an end as quickly as it was,” Jameson said.

Detectives are obtaining a search warrant for the vehicle and say additional charges are pending.
Soliz is being held at the Dona Ana County Detention Center with out bond.