Las Cruces Man Accused Of Stealing, Crashing Girlfriend’s SUV

A Las Cruces man was arrested after he stole his girlfriend’s SUV and then crashed it early Saturday morning, according to the Las Cruces Police Department.

Detective said the driver, 27-year-old Abel Linarez, was at a nightclub with his girlfriend when the couple had an argument. Linarez left the club and got a ride to their home where, detectives said, he took the keys to his girlfriend’s 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe without permission.

Shortly after 2 a.m., an officer saw Linarez driving the vehicle on Lohman Avenue and attempted to stop him, police said. Linarez led police on a car chase, and when he tried to turn the SUV around after entering a dead-end road, police said, he nearly struck an officer.

Eventually, Linarez lost control of the vehicle and crashed near the 2000 block of south Triviz Drive.

Officers said they had to use a K-9 unit after Linarez continued to be uncooperative. Before being booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center, Linarez was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.

Linarez is charged with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault on a peace officer and aggravated DWI. His bond was set at $30,000.