NMSP IDs those involved in pursuit, shooting near Gallup

Series of events ended in a deadly head-on crash on I-40

Authorities released the names of a New Mexico State Police sergeant and two men involved in a police pursuit and shooting that ended in a deadly crash earlier this month outside Gallup.

State Police spokesman Dusty Francisco said June 5 that Sgt. Steven Owens fired at a pickup truck with Gerard John, 25, and Ray Jim, 21, inside as they drove the wrong way on Interstate 40 following a pursuit with Gallup police.

Soon after, the pickup truck crashed head-on with a semi tractor-trailer, ejecting both John and Jim, who were pronounced dead at the scene.

Francisco did not say if the men were armed at the time or struck by gunfire before the crash.

Francisco said Owens, a 15-year veteran with State Police, was placed on administrative leave as they investigated.

The incident began around 11:55 p.m. when Gallup police responded to two men “brandishing a firearm” inside a truck at the Redwood Lodge Motel. Police gave chase after John, the driver, fled and nearly hit an officer’s vehicle.

The pursuit continued from N.M. 118 to I-40, with John driving erratically and going into the opposite lanes, and Jim throwing objects from the bed of the truck at officers. Gallup police terminated the pursuit.

Francisco said Owens, who was nearby and “overheard on his police radio” that the men were armed, parked his vehicle in the I-40 median.

“In an attempt to disable the Dodge truck and to prevent a head-on collision with another vehicle, Sergeant Owens fired at least one shot from his department-issued shotgun toward the Dodge,” he said.

After the shot, the truck crashed head-on into the tractor-trailer.