
Luna County Sheriff’s Investigator Tony Maravilla said 31-year-old Carlos Teran was arrested Wednesday for unlawful taking of a motor vehicle from Jack Key Motors in Deming.
Teran was fired in November from his position as general sales manager of Jack Key Motors, and is accused of stealing a 2013 white Ford Focus January 10th from the dealership.
The car was found wrecked and abandoned January 19th at a location north of Blue Mound Road in the county.
The car had been stripped of all four tires and all of its electronics.
Maravilla said New Mexico State Police officer Rick Herrera cited Teran for speeding in the vehicle on January 13th, but didn’t arrest him because the vehicle had not yet been reported stolen.
Herrera’s traffic stop was videotaped and shows Teran as the driver.
Maravilla said the investigation began when the abandoned and stripped car was reported and towed, and deputies found dealership tags on the vehicle.