Woman accused of ramming deputy

A woman is accused of injuring a Bernalillo County deputy by ramming his vehicle while fleeing an illegal street race Friday night near Isleta Amphitheater.

The deputy was treated at a hospital and released, said Angelina Navarro, a Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman.

The driver arrested, Ashley Loya, 18, is charged with aggravated battery against a peace officer, aggravated fleeing, DWI and leaving the scene of an accident. She was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center early Saturday. It is unclear if Loya has an attorney.

Deputies responded sometime Friday night to reports of street racing in the area of University and Bobby Foster SE, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metro Court. Around 70 vehicles begin to drive off and deputies tried to turn around to follow them when one was rammed “at a high rate of speed” by the driver of a pickup. Deputies said the driver fled and weaved in and out of oncoming traffic, nearly crashing into several other vehicles. Deputies gave chase but the driver ran multiple vehicles off the road on University near Rio Bravo.

The driver lost control soon after and the truck drove onto the rock median and deputies detained Loya and two passengers, according to the complaint. Loya told deputies she went to the races with friends because “she wanted to see what they were like.”

Deputies said Loya told them she tried leaving with the other vehicles and had taken her eyes off the road before hitting the deputy’s vehicle. She said she then “freaked out” and didn’t stop for the pursuing deputies “because she was freaking out.”

Loya told deputies she was going “pretty fast” and going “in and out of cars” before crashing to avoid hitting another vehicle, according to the complaint. She said she had one drink earlier, and blew below the presumed level of intoxication on a breath test.