Officials in search of man charged in domestic incident

FORT SUMNER - Officials were still in search Tuesday of a man charged with multiple felonies following a domestic incident in Fort Sumner.

Eric Mendoza, 19, is accused of chasing a woman from her home at knifepoint Monday morning after hitting her in front of a sleeping infant, according to court documents.

De Baca County Sheriff deputies were called just before 11 a.m. regarding the situation at a house on the 400 block of East Lake Avenue. Elizabeth Robles told officials that less than an hour earlier, Mendoza had "slapped her face and started removing her makeup telling her she did not need to go see anyone or anywhere" and then "grabbed her repeatedly and threw her into the wall," according to a criminal complaint.

"One of the action awoke 14 month Gary Allen Mestas who was asleep," said the complaint. "(Mendoza) told her to stop using the baby as an excuse for him not to hit her."

At her next opportunity, Robles "fled the house with her infant son with (Mendoza) giving chase down Lake Street" with a "silver object in his hand held high in a threatening manner," records show.

Deputy John Hartigan filed for a search warrant at a house on the next block, but the suspect was ultimately not found there after a response that drew multiple agencies including SWAT vehicles that afternoon, said 10th Judicial District Attorney Tim Rose.

Mendoza remained at large Tuesday evening, Rose said. In a post online the night before, the De Baca County Sheriff Office asked the public to "please keep an eye out and call 911 immediately if you see him or know of his whereabouts."

Mendoza is charged with four felonies, including child abuse, aggravated battery and false imprisonment.