Violent Felon and Driver Who Fled Crash Scene

On December 19, 2024, the New Mexico State Police (NMSP) successfully apprehended 43-year-old Daniel Romero, a wanted felon with multiple violent felony warrants. Acting on intelligence gathered by the NMSP Crime Suppression Bureau, officers identified Romero’s location and executed an arrest at a residence on Private Drive. With assistance from the NMSP Tactical Team, Romero exited the home and was taken into custody without incident.

Romero faces a range of charges, including:

• Homicide by Vehicle (Reckless Driving)
• Leaving the Scene of an Accident (Causing Great Bodily Harm or Death)
• Tampering with Evidence
• Larceny (Over $2,500)
• Conspiracy to Commit Larceny (Over $2,500)
• Aggravated Battery (Great Bodily Harm)
• Breaking and Entering
• Resisting, Evading, or Obstructing an Officer (2 Counts)
• Unlawful Carrying of a Deadly Weapon
• Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer (Deadly Weapon)
• Possession of a Firearm or Destructive Device by a Felon
• Shooting at or from a Motor Vehicle
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (5 Counts)
• Aggravated Fleeing a Law Enforcement Officer

Romero was booked into the Rio Arriba County Detention Center on these charges, along with a violation for failure to comply with probation conditions.

In a separate incident, NMSP officers responded to a single-vehicle crash on I-25 near milepost 263. The vehicle had crashed after the driver attempted to flee from a Santa Fe County deputy due to a traffic violation. Upon arrival, officers found the driver, 22-year-old Andi Gonzales-Perez of Santa Fe, who admitted to fleeing due to a belief he had an active warrant and using fentanyl before the crash.

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Gonzales-Perez was transported to a hospital for medical evaluation but attempted to escape custody while there. A brief foot pursuit ensued, during which Gonzales-Perez assaulted an officer and tried to seize the officer’s handgun. He was quickly apprehended with the help of hospital staff.

Gonzales-Perez was booked into the Sandoval County Detention Center and faces the following charges:

• Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle
• Driving While Under the Influence of Drugs
• Reckless Driving
• Resisting, Evading an Officer (2 Counts)
• Leaving the Scene of an Accident
• No Driver’s License
• Failure to Yield Right of Way
• Battery Upon a Peace Officer
• Escape from Custody of a Peace Officer
• Attempt to Commit a Felony
• Assault Upon a Peace Officer

Both suspects remain in custody, facing serious charges following their arrests.

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