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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 28 April 2015 28 April 2015

By Roger Lanse

A Silver City police officer traveling west on U.S. Highway 180 E. on Monday, April 27, a few minutes before 9 p.m., approached the intersection with Memory Lane and observed a black Nissan Sentra stationary in the inside lane although the light was green. Exiting his vehicle to offer assistance, he was told by a female passenger that they were having trouble with the clutch and gear shifter.

When the officer approached the driver's side, according to a statement of probable cause, the officer recognized the driver as 29-year-old Maximiliano Sanchez, of Silver City. Because the officer knew there was an active warrant for Sanchez' arrest, the statement said, Sanchez was asked to exit the vehicle.

Advising Sanchez that the officer was going to place him in handcuffs until the warrant could be confirmed, Sanchez, the statement said, declared that he was not going to be placed in handcuffs and wouldn't go back to jail. Sanchez then ran to the driver's side door while the officer chased him, drawing his X-26 taser, and telling Sanchez to stop. Grabbing the female passenger, Sanchez stated that he had a gun and would shoot her. According to the statement, the officer then backed away for the safety of the female and Sanchez sat in the driver's seat, pulled the female into the vehicle, and drove away.

Driving west on Hwy 180 with the officer following with his emergency lights and siren activated, Sanchez reportedly drove through Silver City at a high rate of speed through three red lights and nine stop signs in a careless manner that endangered the life of others. Midway through the pursuit another Silver City officer joined the chase.

Sanchez then entered a Combs Street property, exited the vehicle, and ran toward the residence. The first officer chased him, again telling him to stop, and as Sanchez approached a side door the officer fired his taser striking Sanchez in the back causing him to twist and fall to the ground, which, according to the police document, allowed one of the taser's prongs to pull out of Sanchez' back. Sanchez then entered the residence and closed the door, however, officers were able to get the door open although Sanchez was trying to hold the door closed.

Sanchez then ran into another part of the house where officers were not able to follow due to a broken handle on a glass door. Officers surrounded the house and could hear Sanchez inside yelling that he was "going to kill himself before he went back to jail" and that he would "shoot you guys," according to the statement. A Silver City police captain was able to talk Sanchez out of the residence, and Sanchez was placed into custody and taken to SCPD for paperwork, Gila Regional Medical Center for medical clearance and the Grant County Detention Center for booking.

According to GCDC personnel, Sanchez remains in custody at that facility on an Adult Probation Office hold with bond denied.