2 remain in hospital after melee near park
Woman struck by car, man shot in critical condition after incident officials say began over tipped motorcycle
Santa Fe police say they expect to file more charges in a violent Easter Sunday incident that erupted outside a home near Larragoite Park, critically injuring a man and woman and wounding a second man.
Surveillance video captured the Sunday evening incident, in which a fight involving at least five people on Verdinal Lane escalated to an attack by vehicle and shooting, according to identical criminal complaints filed Tuesday in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court against two men who already face charges.
The complaints say the violence began after Ricky Leyba arrived at the home of a neighbor, Santiago “Santi” Prada, around 7 p.m. and tipped over a motorcycle that belonged to Nick Quintana, a guest at Prada’s Easter gathering. Leyba and Quintana began engaging in a fight that eventually involved Leyba’s brother Paul Ortiz, Prada and Steven Sena, the documents say.
Prada 34, faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and shooting at an occupied building, causing personal injury. Sena, 32, of Albuquerque is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and negligent use of a deadly weapon. Both men were booked in the Santa Fe County jail early Monday.
Their criminal complaints say home surveillance video shows Leyba had left the scene while Ortiz was fighting with Sena and Quintana but returned shortly after in a white pickup. Leyba struck Quintana with the truck “at a high rate of speed,” came to a stop and then began driving in reverse, running over a woman identified as Destiny Quintana, according to the complaints.
Meanwhile, Leyba was struck in the jaw and upper torso by gunfire as Prada fired several rounds at him, the complaints state.
Leyba’s brother told police he began driving Leyba to a hospital but then intercepted an ambulance on nearby Baca Street, and city emergency medical responders took Leyba on to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. Police said in a news release Monday that Leyba later was taken to University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.
Nick Quintana — who was “knocked to the ground” by Leyba’s truck, according to the criminal complaints — and Destiny Quintana, who suffered “severe injuries,” also were taken to Christus St. Vincent for treatment. Santa Fe police Capt. Aaron Ortiz said Nick Quintana was treated and released, while Leyba and Destiny Quintana remained hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday.
Leyba has not been charged with any crimes in connection with the incident.
Ortiz said the incident is still under investigation, and police seized some evidence during a Monday search of the house.
“It was a large scene with a lot of people involved and a lot going on, so we’re still combing through evidence,” Capt. Ortiz said.
He added he anticipates more charges for others involved in the incident as well as additional charges against Prada and Sena.
Police questioned Prada, Sena, Paul Ortiz and Nick Quintana after the incident, the criminal complaints state. Prada admitted to firing his gun at Leyba, police wrote in the documents, but Sena told them his gun had jammed after he “cocked” it.
According to the complaints, Ring video footage shows Sena pointing his gun at Paul Ortiz several times. “Mr. Sena was handling the silver handgun in a reckless manner by waiving it around with no regard for the safety of the multiple people near him,” an officer wrote.
Paul Ortiz told police he had been with his family at a nearby residence when he received a call from Leyba, who said he being “jumped,” police wrote in the complaints. When Ortiz arrived at the scene, he said, he saw three men wielding weapons — Prada with an “assault rifle” and Sena and Quintana holding handguns — and asked them, “Why are you jumping people?”
Ortiz told police he did not recall seeing his brother strike Nick Quintana with his pickup, but saw him backing up amid gunfire.