By Roger Lanse

On Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, at about 11:38 p.m., a Silver City Police Department officer noticed a silver 2003 Ford Focus traveling north on Leslie Road near 32nd Street. Checking the license plate disclosed the registered owner to be Valoree Ayala, 34, of Albuquerque, who also, according to an SCPD incident report, had two warrants for her arrest, one a felony warrant out of Bernalillo County for receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, and a second felony warrant out of Luna County for possession of a controlled substance.

The incident report stated the suspect vehicle began to drive in a manner that suggested they were trying to get away from the officer. The vehicle made a right turn from Kimberly Drive onto Pinos Altos Road and accelerated to a high rate of speed. The officer lit up the vehicle but Ayala accelerated the more, southbound on Pinos Altos Road then west on 19th Street, south on Swan Street, west on Silver Heights Blvd., south on Hudson Street, east on College Avenue, north on Gold Street, and east on 14th Street. Reaching the dead end on 14th Street, Ayala pulled over to the side of the street.

At this point, another SCPD officer, two Grant County Sheriff's Office deputies and a New Mexico State Police officer arrived to assist. Ayala was handcuffed and placed in a police unit, as were a female passenger and a male passenger. A tow truck was requested for the Ford Focus.

Ayala was charged with aggravated fleeing and transported to the Grant County Detention Center for booking. Disposition of the two passengers was not in the report.

According to GCDC staff, Ayala was transferred to the Luna County Detention Center on Aug. 17 for her active felony warrant, where, according to LCDC she remains in custody.