Patrolman Lloyd Aragon was struck by a suspect's vehicle and killed while laying stop sticks on I-40 near Grants, New Mexico.
He and his partner were in plain clothes and en route to a federal court to testify in a case when they heard the radio traffic about the pursuit. They offered to assist the pursuit and stopped on I-40 to deploy the spike strip at approximately 0730 hours. As the suspect vehicle approached the scene, the driver swerved off the road to avoid the strips and struck Officer Aragon. The suspect and an accomplice were apprehended at the scene.
Patrolman Aragon had been employed with the New Mexico State Police for eight years, and had been in law enforcement for an additional five years.
