Police say felon is arrested after car chase

A Santa Fe man was arrested Saturday after fleeing police responding to reports of gun fire and crashing his car into other vehicles, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday in Santa Fe Magistrate Court.

Nathanel Bueno-Diaz, 19, was charged with fleeing from a law enforcement officer, leaving the scene of a car accident, possession of a firearm by a felon and tampering with evidence, according to the complaint.

About 4:40 p.m. Saturday, police responded to reports of shots fired, first near the intersection of Salazar Place and Lopez Street, then at the Solano Center on West Alameda, the complaint stated. Police reports did not indicate whether anyone was harmed.

Bueno-Diaz fled both scenes in a white Dodge Charger, Santa Fe police reported. When police activated their sirens, BuenoDiaz led them on a chase, running several red lights, driving into oncoming traffic and striking two vehicles near Agua Fria Street and Henry Lynch Road, police reported.

At one point, Bueno-Diaz stopped in Alto Park, where police said they attempted to confront him and his passenger.

An officer said the passenger punched him and fled the scene. Bueno-Diaz also drove from the scene with a rear flat tire, according to police reports. Bueno-Diaz later told police he had stopped at the park to meet with a drug dealer, according to a police report.

Eventually, Bueno-Diaz stopped at Rufina Street, where he told police that he was “sorry for running from the scene” and admitted to having thrown a black handgun out of the car, according to reports. Police did not locate the gun.

Bueno-Diaz was booked at the Santa Fe County jail, where he was being held in lieu of bond Monday. He also faces drugrelated charges in a separate case pending in Magistrate Court.