Four people have been arrested after a man allegedly fired gunshots at San Juan County Sheriff’s Office deputies involved in a traffic stop at the Circle K Store in Flora Vista in the early morning hours of Feb. 22.
The driver of the car involved in the traffic stop, Salvador Lucero, 30, was taken into custody on an active warrant. While discussing options for the passenger, Maddison Stanley, 28, a vehicle drove by and fired four shots in the area of the deputies about 2:35 a.m., according to a news release Thursday from Kristi Hughes, public information manager for the Sheriff’s Office.
The passenger, Stanley, was detained and placed in a patrol vehicle while deputies on scene searched the area where the shots had been fired. Meanwhile, in-car video captured Stanley apparently on the phone asking “Thomas” and “Heather” to help her escape.
Shortly after, a vehicle containing a man and woman pulled up to the Circle K. In-car video revealed Stanley asking the person on the phone to take her bag because her gun was in there. A man was then seen walking to the detained suspect’s vehicle and taking Stanley’s bag.
Lucero was booked into the San Juan County Adult Detention Center on a warrant for failure to comply. Stanley was booked into the detention center on two warrants for failure to appear.
Thomas McPherson, 27, was identified as the shooter in the incident and as the man who then removed Stanley’s bag from the vehicle.
Detectives obtained a warrant for two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, one count of shooting at or from a motor vehicle, five counts of tampering with evidence, one count of receipt, transportation or possession of a firearm, five counts of conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence, two counts of tampering with evidence, and one count of negligent use of a deadly weapon.
The U.S. Marshal’s Office arrested McPherson in Colorado Springs on March 6.
Sheriff’s detectives later learned that Heather Herren, 42, owned the vehicle that arrived on scene to take the bag, and a search warrant was obtained for her vehicle and residence.
Herren, believed to be in the car that went to the Circle K Store, was interviewed about her involvement in the incident at Circle K. The search warrants revealed a variety of narcotics, a firearm and Stanley’s bag. Herren was arrested on suspicion of five felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, one felony count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence and one felony count of tampering with evidence.
Stanley has been charged with five felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, one count of receipt, transportation or possession of a firearm, three counts of conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence, one count of felon in possession of a firearm and two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance.
“This case shows how brazen criminals have become toward law enforcement. The deputies and detectives involved in this case have done an amazing job solving several crimes and arresting the repeat offenders involved. We fully expect the suspects in this case to remain incarcerated until trial for the safety of the public and law enforcement,” Sheriff Shane Ferrari said in the news release.
