Sandoval County deputies assist APD in high-speed I-25 Mustang stop

Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office deputies assisted the Albuquerque Police Department’s Street Racer Tactical Team during intensified enforcement against illegal street racing over the weekend of Feb. 7–8, culminating in a high-speed stop on Interstate 25. SCSO units deployed spike strips to stop a red Ford Mustang with fraudulent plates that fled officers at speeds exceeding 100 mph on I-25; an arrest tied to that stop “contributed” to the operation’s enforcement totals, according to reporting by local outlets referencing SCSO and APD statements.

Albuquerque Police Department officials posted a summary of the operation on Feb. 12, reporting 42 total citations issued from the weekend enforcement. APD’s shared results list two citations for racing, 29 citations issued to spectators, one felony arrest, one felony warrant, and 16 traffic stops across the Valley and Northeast Area Commands, the department said.

APD also released examples of officers’ encounters that weekend. The department’s list included the red Mustang pursuit on I-25, reports of street racers gathering at the Costco near Renaissance, a blue Dodge Charger that fled a traffic stop, and instances where racers and spectators regrouped along Florence Avenue and the I-25 frontage road to stage illegal races. Officers issued citations to spectators at those regrouping locations, contributing to the 29 spectator citations recorded.

Sandoval County deputies’ use of spike strips on I-25 was singled out as a decisive enforcement tactic. Reporting attributed to SCSO indicated the strip deployment brought the Mustang to a stop and led to an arrest; sources do not provide driver names, specific charges tied to that arrest, or whether the felony arrest or felony warrant listed in APD’s totals are directly linked to the Mustang stop.

APD framed the weekend operation as part of coordinated, targeted enforcement. “This past weekend, our Street Racer Tactical Team conducted aggressive enforcement operations targeting illegal street racing across the Valley and Northeast Area Commands,” the department said in its post. APD added, “Street racing puts lives at risk. We will continue to aggressively enforce traffic laws to keep our community safe.”

The enforcement report highlights APD’s regional focus on illegal racing and on citing spectators as well as drivers; the 29 spectator citations show the department is using citations as a tool to disperse gatherings at known hotspots such as the Costco near Renaissance and the Florence Avenue/I-25 frontage road corridor. APD’s public materials and city records also show the department routinely coordinates with other local agencies and uses shared records systems such as LiNX for cross-jurisdictional information, though APD and SCSO have not listed additional participating agencies for this specific Feb. 7–8 operation.

APD’s Feb. 12 release signals the department and Sandoval County deputies will continue targeted enforcement in the Albuquerque metro to address street racing and related spectator activity.