Ryan Westman (Courtesy: San Juan Co. Sheriff's Office)
The US Marshals SWIFT Task Force located the vehicle near Valero gas station off of East Main Street near the Chili's Restaurant. In an effort to flee, the suspect put officers and civilians in danger and Task Force officers fired shots that struck the suspect. A pursuit ensued after shots were fired and a PIT maneuver was made by an officer in an attempt to stop the suspect, which caused the suspect to lose control of the vehicle near CR 350 and US 64.
From the San Juan County Sheriff's Office:
Earlier Thursday, January 25, 2018, local agencies were engaged in a vehicle pursuit of a violent suspect from McKinley County; Ryan Westman (1992) is wanted for aggravated battery out of McKinley County. The vehicle fled from Shiprock Police Department and Farmington Police Department and we launched our helicopter to assist with the pursuit. The pursuit was eventually called off until the suspect was located by law enforcement again Thursday evening.
The US Marshals SWIFT Task Force located the vehicle near Valero gas station off of East Main Street (pictured) near the Chili's Restaurant. In an effort to flee, the suspect put officers and civilians in danger and Task Force officers fired shots that struck the suspect. A pursuit ensued after shots were fired and a PIT maneuver was made by an officer in an attempt to stop the suspect, which caused the suspect to lose control of the vehicle near CR 350 and US 64 (pictured).
The suspect was then taken into custody and is currently being treated at San Juan Regional Medical Center for a gunshot wound. It does not appear to be life threatening at this time. The San Juan County Sheriff's Office will be leading the investigation into the officer involved shooting and we will provide more updates as they become available.
The initial call was received at 5:23 AM. The individual was identified from video surveillance. The male was contacted by Durango Police Department Patrol and is now in custody. He has been identified as Joe Brinkerhoff, a resident of the City of Durango. Due to a prior incident, Joe Brinkerhoff was trespassed from the property and his Rec Center privileges were suspended.
After a thorough and ongoing investigation by detectives and working with the district attorney's office, a thorough review of the case was conducted, and the decision to proceed with criminal charges was made. A warrant was issued to charge Heather Fernandez-Hoefer. She was taken into custody without incident on April 1, 2025.
Upon arrival, deputies made contact with multiple individuals including juveniles and young adults and located a deceased individual identified as Samuell Tariq Liggins, age 20.
Following an extensive investigation by Farmington Police Department detectives, an arrest warrant was issued for 40-year-old Matthew Sandoval, who is known to have a family connection to Madrid, who has been charged with 1st Degree Murder and Tampering with Evidence. On March 28, Sandoval was located by U.S. Marshals in the 400 block of W. Animas. Farmington Police officers responded and arrested Sandoval on the outstanding warrant.
Invited guests will tour the temple, the afternoon of July 14, and all day on July 15 and 16, 2025. A public open house will run from July 17 to August 2, 2025, excluding Sundays.
Officers canvassed the area for the suspect; however, investigators believe the individual left the area prior to police arrival. The Farmington Police Department is releasing a video of a person of interest. The video shows a male on a bicycle headed east on Navajo Street towards Lincoln Avenue. The Farmington Police Department urges anyone with information or video surveillance from the area to contact detectives at 505-599-1068.