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A fugitive wanted on
outstanding state charges of homicide by vehicle, great bodily injury by
vehicle while intoxicated, and aggravated driving while intoxicated
causing bodily injury, was arrested yesterday by a team of law
enforcement officers led by U.S. Marshals and the New Mexico State
Police.
Byron Carpenter, 29, was being sought on warrants issued in Bernalillo
County charging him with the vehicular homicide offense and Lincoln
County charging him with felony embezzlement. Carpenter is accused of
operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and crashing into a vehicle,
killing Rhonda Prince and her father Russell Kirtland, on Dec. 19, 2006,
near Edgewood, NM. Carpenter was arrested again on Feb. 7, 2007, for a
subsequent charge of driving while intoxicated.
U.S. Marshals, acting on a tip from the New Mexico chapter of Mothers
Against Drunk Driving (MADD),
located Carpenter at a residence near Capitan. Carpenter fled the
residence into the mountains in an effort to elude capture, but was
eventually apprehended hiding under a rock pile. Carpenter is currently
being held at Carrizozo Detention Center.
MADD Victim’s Advocate Dolly Otero stated, “It was rewarding to hear the
great news of this capture. Our partnership with New Mexico law
enforcement is amazing.”
Nathan Lucero, Criminal Agent with the New Mexico State Police assisted
the U.S. Marshals in the coordination of carpenter’s capture. He stated,
“The citizens of New Mexico must understand how serious DWI offenses
are.” He added, “The State Police and the U.S. Marshals will thoroughly
investigate and pursue these offenders. Any violators will be dealt with
in a serious manner.”
Annually, investigations carried out by the U.S. Marshals result in the
apprehension of approximately 34,000 federal fugitives. More federal
fugitives are arrested by Marshals than all other federal agencies
combined. The
Southwest Investigative Fugitive Task Force (SWIFT) is a team comprised
of law enforcement officers from the U.S. Marshals Service, the New
Mexico State Police, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Bernalillo
County Sheriffs Office, the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office, The Rio
Rancho Police Department, and the New Mexico Probation and Parole
Office. The task force objective is to seek out and arrest violent
fugitives. Last year, U.S. Marshals task forces arrested more than
27,000 state and local fugitives on felony charges.
Additional information about the U.S.
Marshals can be found at
http://www.usmarshals.gov. |
