Man charged with numerous crimes in ax incident

Andrew Rivas III, 37, of Bernalillo, was arrested Feb. 11 for aggravated burglary, breaking and entering, injury to a police dog, resisting arrest, battery upon a peace officer, criminal damage to property, aggravated assault upon a peace officer and 10 counts of aggravated battery upon a peace officer in the 500 block of Calle Raquela in Bernalillo.

Officers responding to a call of an armed man found Rivas hiding behind a truck after he allegedly tried to get into a house with an ax in hand, which he had used to damage a door. They ordered Rivas to exit the property, at which point Rivas jumped a fence and into the house next door.

Rivas then allegedly began to break down a bathroom door to get to the woman inside. Police again ordered him to exit before entering the home. They also opened the bathroom window in an attempt to help the woman escape, at which Rivas forced the door open. He then grabbed “blunt objects” and threw them at the officers.

As Rivas continued to resist arrest, police tased and used non-lethal shotguns to slow him down. Officers then managed to force their way into the house as Rivas continued to throw objects at them and shut the door on the police dog, who took Rivas down and enabled police to take him into custody.

Rivas would face at least 48 years in prison if convicted.