Two people critically injured during crash with driver of stolen vehicle

Monday, March 27, 20232

ALBUQUERQUE – Two people, including a young girl, were critically injured this morning when the driver of a stolen vehicle ran a stop sign and crashed into their vehicle in Southeast Albuquerque.

Police responded to reports of the crash around 7:45 a.m. in the area of San Pedro Dr. and Bell Ave., S.E.

APD conducted an on-scene investigation and determined a State of New Mexico-owned vehicle was stolen from the New Mexico Fair grounds. The stolen vehicle, which was a maroon colored Chevy SUV, traveled eastbound on Bell Ave. approaching San Pedro Dr. at a high rate of speed. The driver of the stolen vehicle ran a stop sign and t-boned a gray Jeep SUV in the intersection. The collision came to a rest in the front yard of 600 San Pedro Dr., S.E.

The occupants of the jeep, the 43-year-old male driver, and a 10-year-old girl, were transported to the hospital for life-threatening injuries.

After the collision, the driver of the stolen Chevy SUV exited and fled on foot. Another call came in from a resident advising a male subject was hiding in a shed in their backyard.

The driver of the stolen vehicle, later identified as John Eugene Bearden Jr., 37, was taken into custody by New Mexico State Police Officers and one Albuquerque Police Department officer near the 500 block of Dakota St. SE. Bearden was transported to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

A DWI officer was dispatched as part of the call-out team to screen John for intoxication. A blood warrant was requested and approved.

Bearden will be booked for unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of a crash involving serious physical injury, Great bodily harm by vehicle (DWI Related-two counts).

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