Video: N.M. Deputy Crashes Cruiser Into Busy Restaurant

December 27, 2011 |

A Taos County (N.M.) Sheriff's deputy responding to a call on Christmas Eve crashed his cruiser into a busy restaurant's patio while attempting to avoid a collision.

Dep. Nicholas Lamendola was responding with lights and sirens activated and swerved into the packed El Prado restaurant. The cruiser rolled and came to rest on a fire pit in the restaurant's patio.

After the crash, several nearby restaurant patrons—called "a group of boys" in initial news reports—pulled the fire pit's kerosene and propane tank out of the area, and then helped the deputy out of the vehicle, reports the Albuquerque Journal. No injuries were reported.

Tags: Taos County (N.M.) Sheriff, Code 3 Driving, Police Vehicle Accidents

Comments (3)

Displaying 1 - 3 of 3
Bob@Az. @ 12/27/2011 5:40 PM "A group of boys"?? I'd say more like young men of courage. Hope the Sheriffs Dept. made the appropiate thanks to these young LE prospects. We need more people like this, running to help, not away.
DaveSAM25G @ 12/27/2011 8:46 PM There was a homicide in Taos but not sure if this was related. Things pick up during the holidays and calls for service are stacked!
Ken Dusenberry @ 12/28/2011 6:07 AM Still do not know what the call was, but the officer was dispatched to a town which was 25 miles from the scene of the accident. TV reports indicated that the unit rolled following a collision. The video on TV was impressive.

Displaying 1 - 3 of 3

Bob@Az. @ 12/27/2011 5:40 PM

"A group of boys"?? I'd say more like young men of courage. Hope the Sheriffs Dept. made the appropiate thanks to these young LE prospects. We need more people like this, running to help, not away.

DaveSAM25G @ 12/27/2011 8:46 PM

There was a homicide in Taos but not sure if this was related. Things pick up during the holidays and calls for service are stacked!

Ken Dusenberry @ 12/28/2011 6:07 AM

Still do not know what the call was, but the officer was dispatched to a town which was 25 miles from the scene of the accident. TV reports indicated that the unit rolled following a collision. The video on TV was impressive.

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