Las Cruces man allegedly steals truck with child inside, runs over owner

A man police said tried to steal a pickup Monday evening didn’t know there was some precious cargo in the back seat.

Joseph Gaytan, Jr., 28, was allegedly intoxicated when he jumped into the truck while an 8-year-old boy sat in the backseat and the owner and another man attached the truck to a trailer.

The owner yelled at Gaytan, who briefly got out before allegedly driving away with the child still inside. The 43-year-old owner of the pickup tried to pull Gaytan from the vehicle but was injured when the truck crashed into a light pole and then a home at 1505 La Fonda Dr., police said. He is now in stable condition.

When officers arrived the truck’s owner was pinned between the pickup and a house. Las Cruces firefighters treated him before he was airlifted in critical condition to University Medical Center of El Paso.

The child was not injured.

Gaytan, who had a suspended license, was charged with one count each of intentional child abuse, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, DWI causing great bodily harm and driving while license suspended.He was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he is initially being held without bond.

Investigators said Gaytan and the victims did not know each other.