Man accused of deadly road rage shooting to remain in jail

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An Albuquerque judge ruled a suspect in a deadly road rage shooting must stay in jail until his trial.

On Dec. 3, Tristan Salais allegedly shot Jessie Lovato four times while driving eastbound on Montaño. Deputies found Lovato dead with multiple gunshot wounds while dispatched to that area about a single-vehicle crash.

On Wednesday, Judge Clara Moran ruled there was “clear and convincing evidence” Tristan Salais posed a danger to the community. Part of that evidence was Salais’ criminal past that a state prosecutor laid out during the hearing.

“All of that is essentially violent, violent crime that’s happened in the last six or seven months,” prosecutor David Waymire explained.

Prosecutors say Salais violated a restraining order from a domestic violence incident. He was on conditions of release from an aggravated assault case but failed to appear in court – a day before the alleged road rage shooting.

Salais even reportedly hit his father during one of his court-ordered sessions.

“What gives the court a great deal of concern is the allegation that he was on conditions set by the court in two separate cases at the time of the present, open count of murder that he is, you know, being detained upon,” Judge Moran said.

Police arrested Salais on Jan. 17 and charged him with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence.

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