Former police chief arrested

Staff Report

New Mexico State Police arrested recently retired Tucumcari Police Chief Jason Braziel on Tuesday, charging him with resisting and evading arrest and tampering with evidence.

Braziel was released on a $3,000 cash bond later that day. He was also charged with reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident involving damage to a vehicle and failure to give immediate notice of accident.

According to an arrest affidavit filed in the Quay County Magistrate Court:

• On Monday at 8:25 p.m., a NMSP officer was notified by dispatch to respond to the corner of South Seventh Street and West Cutcher to assist the Tucumcari Police Department.

Upon arrival, Officer Justin Tiemann spoke with Officer Steven McClure, who was standing by a truck that had crashed into the fence of a residence on the 500 block of West Cutcher.

McClure observed an unoccupied truck had crashed into the fence of a residence. The owner of the residence told McClure that two family members had followed the driver of the vehicle walking south in the alley between Sixth and Seventh streets.

• McClure entered the alley and reported observing three males walking south and identified one of the males as Braziel. He stated that as he approached, Braziel jumped a fence into a back yard; McClure gave verbal commands for Braziel to stop but a foot pursuitensued.

McClure stated that he lost sight of Braziel as he ran north of Sixth Street.

• Tiemann said he spoke with the residents, who told him they heard the crash and when they stepped outside, they observed the truck had struck the fence. The residents said the driver (identified as Braziel) was still in the vehicle and was trying to leave the scene. Braziel exited the vehicle, and one of the residents said they followed him as he walked toward the alley.

Tiemann said they could not locate Braziel at his residence and a warrant for his arrest was issued.

Braziel surrendered himself to state police on Tuesday and was booked into the Quay County Detention Center without incident.

Braziel could not be reached for comment.