Three Inmates Seize McKinley County Sheriff Transport Van, Spark I-40 Pursuit

Three inmates who were being transported from the Bernalillo County detention center to Gallup took control of a McKinley County Sheriff’s Office prisoner transport van near the Route 66 Casino on Interstate 40 and led law enforcement on a westbound pursuit before officers stopped the vehicle on State Road 124 just off I-40 east of Grants, McKinley County officials said.

McKinley County Undersheriff James Maiorano said the deputy picked up the three prisoners around two o’clock for the return trip to Gallup. New Mexico State Police issued a statement saying the deputy “apparently had a medical episode and had to stop the van,” while Maiorano disputed that characterization and described a different sequence. “The deputy heard commotion in the back and one of the inmates stated that he was having a medical episode,” Maiorano said, adding that one inmate slipped free of his handcuffs and overpowered the deputy.

Maiorano identified the inmate who took the lead as 35-year-old Joshua Hall of Milan. Authorities said Hall faked a heart attack after slipping his handcuffs, then overpowered the transporting deputy when the door was opened and drove the van with the other two inmates still shackled in the rear compartments, Maiorano said. The van was first located near To’hajiilee on I-40 before the pursuit proceeded west along the interstate.

Multiple agencies assisted in the search and stop, including New Mexico State Police and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Bernalillo County spokeswoman Jayme Fuller confirmed her office was called in to assist. Maiorano said officers intentionally kept radio traffic to a minimum during the chase because the inmates had a radio inside the stolen van. Law enforcement deployed tire deflation devices along I-40; the devices were successful and the van was disabled east of Grants, where officers took all three prisoners into custody without further incident.

Arrest reporting names the three inmates as Joshua or Josh Hall, 35, of Milan; Rickie Billie, 36, of Albuquerque; and LaCosta Reeves, 45, of Gallup. Local booking records and KOB reporting list a slate of charges filed against Hall, including assault, assault with intent to commit a violent felony and battery upon a peace officer, disarming a peace officer, resisting or evading or obstructing an officer, escape from jail and false imprisonment. Sports region summaries list open cases for Hall on aggravated fleeing and resisting charges, for Billie on a burglary charge, and for Reeves on a receiving/transferring a stolen vehicle charge. Officials said it was not immediately clear whether additional charges beyond those filed against Hall would be lodged against the other two.

Cibola County Correctional Center staff reportedly removed ankle shackles after transport and found damage to the shackles consistent with a drill bit allegedly used to remove restraints, law enforcement sources said. McKinley County Undersheriff Maiorano confirmed that officers accounted for everyone and offered a brief status update: “All occupants of the van are fine.”