Police identify suspect in road-rage shooting
Affidavit: Man sideswiped tourist family’s car, then shot at them after they pursued
Santa Fe police are searching for 27-year-old David Dean Gallegos Jr., accused of committing several felonies in a road rage incident Sunday that resulted in the hospitalization of a woman.
Police responded to a call Sunday morning on Cerrillos Road near Ocate Street after a woman said she and several family members were driving south when they were struck numerous times by a Chevrolet Equinox and shot at by the vehicle’s driver. The driver later was identified as Gallegos, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court.
Investigators charged Gallegos with 11 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of negligent use of a deadly weapon.
Family members told police they had wrapped up their visit to Santa Fe and were headed to the Albuquerque International Sunport, according to the affidavit. As they were stopped at a light while driving south on Cerrillos Road, a car sideswiped the driver’s side of their vehicle.
The driver said she followed the Chevrolet attempting to get the license plate information and eventually ended up in front of it. While in front of Gallegos’ car, he slammed into the back of their vehicle multiple times, the affidavit said.
The family told police the driver then pulled to the passenger side of their vehicle and fired multiple shots into the car, which had two minor children in the back seat, the affidavit said.
As the out-of-town driver pulled over, she realized she had been shot in her left leg. When police arrived, they transported her to a local hospital for emergency treatment where she was released later that day, according to the affidavit.
The family was able to provide police with a vehicle description, license plate number and description of the driver. Investigators determined the vehicle belonged to Gallegos, who also matched the visual description given to them by the family, the affidavit said.
Police later found three bullet fragments inside the car as well as video evidence of the family’s account, according to the affidavit.
One witness reported there may have been two other passengers in Gallegos’ car, a woman and possibly a child. Santa Fe police Lt. David Webb said these details in the case are still under investigation.