LCPD: Fugitive found in ‘very poor condition’ blocks away from a police station

Fugitive Michael Derby was found walking two blocks away from a police station, according to the Las Cruces Police Department.

The arrest was made early Friday morning at the corner of Picacho Avenue and Alameda Boulevard.

A passerby called 911 after seeing a pedestrian, later identified as Derby, experience a medical emergency. Police told ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom Derby was in “very poor condition.”

Police do not know if he was walking to the police station to turn himself in. Paramedics rushed Derby to a hospital where he remains in police custody.

Derby was first arrested last weekend when he allegedly led police on a chase.

The 24-year-old allegedly escaped from custody Wednesday night at Memorial Medical Center. The hospital told ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom Derby was not a patient.

Dona Ana County Jail Director Chris Barela tells ABC-7 Derby was transported to the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Unit (SANE), which is in the same area as MMC.

According to Barela, Derby was taken to the medical center because he claimed he had been raped by other inmates at the Dona Ana County Jail. Barela says that personnel at the SANE unit said they needed Derby’s restraints off to examine him.

Barela said Derby needed to use restroom, and that’s when he allegedly made a run for it. Barela tells ABC-7 that he thinks the escape was planned and the rape story by Derby was likely contrived.

Police say Derby ran to a nearby convenience store and stole a truck that was pulling a horse trailer with three horses inside. The owner of the truck was unharmed.

The truck, trailer and the horses were recovered by police in central Las Cruces Wednesday night. Derby was nowhere to be found.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Police arrested a man accused of carjacking an SUV and briefly kidnapping its owner at gunpoint in El Paso Sunday morning.

Michael Derby, 24, of the 9500 block of Rigel Street in Dona Ana County, is charged in Las Cruces with three counts of Aggravated Assault Upon a Peace Officer, two counts of Aggravated Fleeing from a Law Enforcement officer and one count of Being in Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. Police say additional charges against Derby are pending.

In El Paso, Derby is charged with one count of Aggravated Kidnapping and one count of Aggravated Robbery. Investigators say a 25-year-old woman with Derby also faces charges in El Paso.

The alleged carjacking happened at about 3:25 a.m. Sunday.

A Las Cruces Police officer pulled over Derby as he was driving a Nissan Maxima near Rigsby Road and Barker Road. The 25-year-old woman was Derby’s passenger at the time.

As the officer questioned the couple, he say a handgun near Derby’s feet. The officer gave commands for Derby to keep his hands in view but Derby allegedly disobeyed the officer and drove away.

Derby drove south on Stern Drive toward Vado.

Investigators said A Dona Ana County Sheriff’s deputy tried to deploy a stop stick in front of Derby’s vehicle but Derby drove directly toward the deputy, nearly striking him.

Derby then allegedly drove onto I-10 where he led officers on a chase toward El Paso.

Shortly after 4 a.m. El Paso Police learned that Derby allegedly pointed a handgun at the owner of a Mitsubishi Montero and forced the 29-year-old man into the SUV on the 1600 block of Northwestern in El Paso.

Derby drove to a gas station at North Desert Road near Trans Mountain Road where he allegedly forced the man to put $20 worth of gas into the tank.

Police say the man ran away, hiding behind the gas station.

Derby and his passenger allegedly fled in the stolen Montero heading back north to Las Cruces.

At about 8:45 a.m. a sheriff deputy in Dona Ana County spotted the stolen Montero in Las Cruces and pulled Derby over at 1570 W. Picacho Ave.

The woman was no longer in the vehicle, but Derby had a new passenger, a 28-year-old man, according to investigators.

The deputy ordered Derby to exit the vehicle but, instead, Derby allegedly sped away and led officers on a second car chase that initially went south on Valley Drive and east on Brownlee Avenue. During the second pursuit, Derby is accused of twice attempting to strike a deputy with the stolen SUV.

The pursuit continued north through Las Cruces and into the unincorporated county east of I-25. Las Cruces Police officers finally stopped the vehicle on Windmill Road just off La Reina Road. Derby allegedly continued to ignore the officer’s orders to exit the SUV and had to be forcefully removed.

Investigators said four marked LCPD units were damaged during the two pursuits.

Las Cruces Police do not expect to file charges against the two passengers who were with Derby. The 25-year-old woman, however, is facing charges in El Paso for her alleged involvement in the kidnapping and aggravated robbery.

The handgun Derby allegedly had during the initial pursuit and during the carjacking in El Paso has not been located by police.

Derby is initially being held without bond at the Dona Ana County Detention Center.