Las Cruces man arrested after SWAT standoff for allegedly beating and kidnapping girlfriend

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico – Police used their SWAT team early Tuesday morning to arrest a man suspected of beating up his girlfriend and holding the woman against her will.

Carlos Herrera, 36, has been charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of battery against a household member.

Officers initially responded to a credit union on Foster Road on Monday regarding a report of a possible domestic incident.

Officers arrived to find a woman with multiple injuries to her face, arms and shoulders.

She claimed her injured were caused by Herrera, her boyfriend of one year.

Investigators learned that Herrera had gone to the woman’s home uninvited on Sunday night and spent the night.

The woman told investigators that they got into an argument and her cell phone was broken.

According to investigators, the next morning, Herrera ordered the woman to go with him to an ATM to withdraw money for him.

During the drive, Herrera allegedly punched the woman in the face and upper body.

At some point during the drive, Herrera also allegedly put his hand over the woman’s mouth to keep her from screaming and briefly put his hand around her throat.

When they arrived at the credit union, police were called when Herrera was heard ordering her back into the car.

Herrera then fled before police arrived. He was eventually arrested at his home early Tuesday morning.

Police surrounded his home and tried to get him to exit, but police said he refused multiple commands to do so.

The Las Cruces SWAT team was activated and took Herrera into custody about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Herrera was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he is being held without bond.