Man facing attempted murder charges after allegedly shooting at vehicle with man and child

• Blas Salazaris accused of attempted murder, child abuse and two counts of aggravated assault.
• A man called law enforcement, stating Salazar was intoxicated and got into a fight with him, which ended with the defendant firing a .45 caliber gun at his vehicle.
• The San Juan County District Attorney's Office filed a motion to hold Salazar in jail pending trial.

FARMINGTON — A San Juan County man faces an attempted murder charge for allegedly firing a handgun at a vehicle occupied by a male relative and a 11-year-old girl on Thanksgiving.

Blas Salazar, 52, is accused of third-degree felony counts of attempted murder and child abuse along with two fourth-degree felony counts of aggravated assault, according to court records.

Shellie Patscheck, Salazar's attorney, filed paperwork on Dec. 4 to quash her client's warrant. She told The Daily Times that Aztec Magistrate Court Judge Barry Sharer denied her motion and her client was taken into custody.

Patscheck said law enforcement did not even attempt to get her client's side of the story and they look forward to getting the truth out during the proceeding. 

San Juan County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched around 6:50 p.m. Nov. 28 to an address in the 16000 block of U.S. Highway 550 northeast of Aztec on a report of shots fired, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

A man called law enforcement, stating Salazar was intoxicated and got into a fight with him, a dispute he said ended with Salazar firing a .45 caliber gun at his vehicle. He said the fight followed an argument regarding a female relative.

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The man said he and an 11-year-old girl were in the vehicle leaving the residence when Salazar fired about four rounds at the vehicle.

A female relative heard about four to five gunshots and saw the flash from the gun being fired, the document stated.

Salazar left the scene before deputies arrived at the residence.

Multiple indentations and holes were found on the truck including "one hole in the passenger door, which did not pass through into the vehicle," an impact point on the front passenger wheel well that traveled through the engine compartment and struck the radiator, according to court documents.

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Four spent .45 caliber bullet casings were located in a carport where the suspect was reported to have been standing.

The San Juan County District Attorney's Office filed a motion to hold Salazar in jail pending trial.

The defendant's preliminary hearing is set for the morning of Dec. 12 in Aztec Magistrate Court.

Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.

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