A 20-year-old Horizon man is facing evading arrest charges after deputies say he popped a wheelie right in front of a patrol unit, then took off on his ATV rather than stop. The brief chase through Horizon ended with him running on foot before deputies caught up and placed him in handcuffs.
According to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, deputies responding to an unrelated call on Saturday, Oct. 24, at about 7:50 p.m. spotted a man riding an ATV eastbound on Paseo Del Este Boulevard. Deputies said the driver performed a wheelie directly in front of their patrol unit, and when they moved in to make a traffic stop, he accelerated instead of pulling over, according to KVIA.
Wheelie Caught on Camera Before the Chase
The sheriff's office said the driver, later identified as 20-year-old Marcus Sanchez of Horizon, lost control of the ATV at the intersection of Paseo Del Este Boulevard and Kilvington Street. Deputies said he abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot from there, but the pursuit didn't last long. After a brief foot chase, deputies took him into custody.
Sanchez was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on charges of evading arrest or detention with a vehicle and evading arrest or detention, per the same account. His total bond was set at $22,500.
Sheriff Warns Fleeing Can Escalate a Simple Stop
Sheriff Oscar Ugarte used the arrest to send a message to other would-be ATV riders tempted to show off for deputies. “ATVs do not belong on public roadways, and fleeing from deputies puts everyone nearby at risk,” Ugarte said, according to the reporting.
Ugarte also urged drivers to simply comply when deputies try to pull them over. “If a deputy signals you to stop, pull over safely and comply,” he said. The sheriff's comments underscore how quickly a routine traffic stop over reckless ATV riding can turn into a criminal case once a driver decides to run instead.
