Suspect arrested for crashing into law office

Car crashes into South Valley law firm

Luckily, the office was unoccupied at the time of the crash.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Deputies arrested a suspect accused of driving drunk and crashing into a law office in southwest Albuquerque.

Around 6:15 p.m. Thursday, dispatch sent deputies to a reported crash at the Elias Law Office, near the intersection of Isleta Boulevard and Bridge Boulevard. Dispatch advised deputies of a caller who allegedly said they drank alcohol and didn’t know how they crashed.

Deputies arrived and found a driver who allegedly admitted to consuming two-and-a-half IPA beers at around 4 p.m. They detained him and identified him as 25-year-old Mariano Vasquez-Martinez.

Martinez said he turned on Isleta from Bridge and gave the truck too much throttle so he could beat traffic. Then, according to deputies, he said the truck spun and crashed into the wall.

Deputies said Martinez had bloodshot and watery eyes and slurred speech. They arrested him after conducting field sobriety tests.

David Elias, who owns Elias Law Office, said no one was in the building at the time of the crash.

“Well we had an office behind me that was crashed into. Thank God the person who usually works there was not there at 6:30 p.m. or so when it happened. Normally, we don’t have a concern but obviously crazy things happen in this world and you know tonight is Halloween. A ‘brujo’ [sorcerer] got us!”

Elias said he’s happy everyone is okay and that they reopened Friday.