© Rick Romancito/Taos NewsOriana Farrell with attorney Alan Maestas in a Taos, New Mexico courtroom, March 2014.
Prosecutors for the Taos District Attorney's Office and the attorney for Oriana Farrell announced a plea deal at a Monday afternoon hearing at the Taos County Courthouse.
Farrell is charged with child abuse, aggravated fleeing from a police office and drug paraphernalia possession after an October 2013 incident with New Mexico State Police.
After being stopped for speeding on a highway outside of Taos, dash-camera video from New Mexico State Police shows that Farrell got in a disagreement about the ticket with the office who pulled Farrell over. Video shows Farrell couldn't decide if she wanted to agree to pay the ticket or to go to court to fight it.
The dash-camera video shows Farrell drove away from the scene, but was pulled over a short time after. New Mexico State Police officer Tony DeTavis then tried to arrest Farrell and got in a scuffle with the mother of five. In the middle of the scuffle, Farrell's then 15-year old son tried to fight the officer. Initially, he too was charged in the case but those charges were later dropped.
Now former New Mexico State Police officer Elias Montoya then arrived at the scene and fired three shots at Farrell's van, which had her and her five children inside. Nobody was injured.
Farrell was not in the courtroom on Monday afternoon when attorneys announced the plea deal. Both sides also declined to share details of the plea deal, however, Farrell's attorney commented about it in court.
"Your honor, I think we've reached a resolution that certainly is agreeable to both parties, that I think takes into account the most significant concerns both parties," said Alan Maestas, attorney for Oriana Farrell. "I think it's about as close to justice as we can get in a human environment."
Both sides were ready to take the case to trial come Monday, July 13. However, both sides now say this deal resolves their concerns.
"So I think at this point I think we're just waiting for the signed agreement, and at that point the state will call off all of our witnesses and anticipate being ready for that presentation on Monday," said Emilio Chavez, deputy district attorney for the Taos district attorney's office.
News 13 will be inside the courtroom at Farrell's next hearing on Monday, July 13. Farrell will be required to be at the next court hearing to accept the plea.
In multiple statements to various media outlets, Farrell has always contended that her actions were in efforts to protect her family.
The officer who shot at the van told police that he was aiming at the minivan's tires and didn't know there were children in the vehicle. He later resigned from New Mexico State Police, but was rehired in March 2015 at a deputy for the Taos County Sheriff's Office.
The State Police officer who bashed the windows out of Farrell's van was disciplined, but kept his job.
and most of our local law enforcement are above reproach. she messed with the wrong town. no premeditated lawsuit happy people please. and no pity playing on race, religion, sex or guns.