Man arrested after ‘carelessly’ driving stolen pickup truck – The Durango Herald

Police say Phillips had a bullet hole in his foot

An Albuquerque man with a bullet hole in his foot led police from U.S. Highway 64 west through Farmington without stopping until he hit a police car, authorities said.

Tory Phillips, 37, is charged with second-degree grand theft of a motor vehicle, third-degree assault on a police officer, third-degree driving under the influence, fourth-degree criminal possession of a vehicle, fourth-degree fleeing the scene of a crash and fourth-degree receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle.

The charges stem from a June 28 incident in which Phillips allegedly stole a green pickup truck from Shiprock and drove it carelessly into Farmington, prompting San Juan County sheriff’s deputies and Farmington police to chase him through town before he stopped only after hitting a police car, according to court documents.

A San Juan County sheriff’s deputy first tried to pull Phillips over, suspecting he was driving under the influence. He was reportedly driving 20 mph below the speed limit and “driving in the middle of both lanes,” but he failed to stop for a sheriff’s deputy who was following him with his lights on toward Farmington, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Court documents say that after entering city property, Phillips “struck the curb at La Plata Street and West Main Street, causing the vehicle to cross into other lanes of traffic.”

Farmington police used stop batons to stop Phillips, but he reportedly ran over them and “continued to weave between cars in the left and right lanes.” He was also reportedly seen “throwing various materials out the window” and “pointing his middle finger” at officers, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Police in the report state that Phillips allegedly continued driving down Main Street with flat tires and that the car’s “tailgate” broke off, “causing sparks to fly” onto the roadway.

Phillips continued driving “recklessly,” according to the probable cause affidavit. He allegedly even “struck the vehicle into the Farmington Police Department” before coming to a stop on West Maple Street near San Juan Regional Medical Center.

Phillips then told police his “foot hurt” and allegedly stated he “had a hole in my leg,” court documents said.

Phillips had a gunshot wound to his foot, but reportedly told police he “didn’t know” how he got it. When questioned further, he reportedly told police he did not want to make a statement, court records show.

Phillips was treated at San Juan Regional Medical Center for a gunshot wound and then taken to the San Juan County Detention Center, where an officer found methamphetamine in the man’s shoe, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The San Juan County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion for pretrial detention, saying he has an extensive criminal record and “the state believes there are no viable conditions of release at this time that would reasonably ensure the safety of the community.”

A preliminary hearing was set for July 3 in the 11th Judicial District in Aztec.

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