Man arrested for firing shots at Northern Meadows resident

RIO RANCHO — An intoxicated man was arrested after he allegedly fired a gun at a resident in Northern Meadows over Easter weekend.

Elijah Fernandez, 29, of Albuquerque, was arrested April 19 for aggravated DWI, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, negligent use of a deadly weapon, tampering with evidence, open container, two counts of aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, reckless driving and aggravated stalking in Northern Meadows.

According to a criminal complaint, the victim was driving someone home when they noticed Fernandez’s vehicle parked in the area. Fernandez reportedly approached the caller’s vehicle and used a black hand gun to strike the driver-side window, breaking it. The caller said the passenger safely fled to their home, and the caller drove away from the scene, crashing the back wheels into the curb and hearing two “pops” while they were leaving the area.

While police were talking with the victim, they received a report of a a car accident on Morgan Meadows, with the description of the vehicle matching Fernandez’s. Police arrested him, noting that he smelled of alcohol.

Fernandez said that he was on the phone with his girlfriend and was driving too fast when he had the accident. He said he didn’t drink alcohol but that he did smoke marijuana and used sleep medications, and he also refused the breathalyzer test. He also said he hurt his ankle in the accident.

If convicted, he will face six or more years in prison.