LAS CRUCES - A teenager who allegedly struck a Las Cruces Police sergeant and fled from an arrest was detained and charged with battering a peace officer.
Dagoberto Nolasco Jimenez, 19, was arrested Friday and is charged with battery upon a peace officer, escape from a peace officer, tampering with evidence, and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer.
Jimenez is being held on a $20,000 cash-only bond.
On Thursday, Jan. 19, a sergeant was on regular duty when she spotted a Chevrolet Cobalt that was obstructing traffic on Golf Club Road just east of Roadrunner Parkway. The officer made contact with the driver, Jimenez, who claimed that his vehicle needed a jump start. The officer started to assist Jimenez but reported his demeanor became aggressive and uncooperative - and then she noticed a strong odor of marijuana in the Cobalt and tools commonly used to commit burglaries on the passenger seat.
The sergeant attempted to search Jimenez, but he allegedly continued to be uncooperative and physically pulled away, prompting her to arrest him on a charge of obstruction. When she began to handcuff him, he allegedly turned around and struck the officer, prompting a struggle. The officer drew her duty weapon and ordered Jimenez to the ground, which he did. But when she holstered her weapon and began handcuffing him, he allegedly aggressively resisted arrest, forced his way up from the ground and fled in the Cobalt - the officer's handcuffs attached to his right wrist.
Other officers responding to the call located the Cobalt less than a mile away and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The next day, Friday, when he and a parent went to the police department, Jimenez allegedly became physical with arresting officers in the department's lobby and attempted to fight with police who were detaining him. Jimenez was quickly subdued and placed under arrest, and now faces additional charges for those actions.
The sergeant who initially attempted to detain Jimenez on Thursday sustained some minor cuts during the altercation but was otherwise unharmed.
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