APD arrests 18-year-old after street race; police issued over 400 citations during operation

Sep. 16—An Albuquerque Police Department street racing operation netted another arrest: An 18-year-old man who fled from police in Southeast Albuquerque over the weekend.

Joaquin White, 18, is charged with reckless driving and aggravated fleeing an officer. White is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center. His attorney could not be reached for comment.

According to a criminal complaint filed at Metropolitan Court, APD responded to a call of cars racing and doing donuts in the area of the 2300 block of Renard, near Yale and Gibson. When they arrived, vehicles were leaving "in an orderly manner" when one of the drivers — later identified as White — fled at a "high rate of speed" in a silver Chrysler 300.

Police said they chased White until he was stopped and arrested near his home by Rio Bravo.

APD spokesperson Rebecca Atkins said that since the start of the year when operations began, police have conducted 28 operations and issued 431 citations. Of those, 12 were for racing and 57 were for spectating. They made nine arrests for speed racing-related offenses and six arrests for driving while under the influence.