Grants man faces
domestic violence charges

Ralph Apodaca Jr.

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — As Ralph Apodaca Jr. sat in Cibola County Detention Center awaiting a preliminary hearing, related to a June 9 domestic violence incident, Grants police notified him of additional charges from an incident that occurred about a week before.

Apodaca, 33, of 1601 N. Hills Drive, faces several felonies and misdemeanors from two domestic violence incidents with the same female victim.

Charges from the June 9 incident include: Aggravated stalking, aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, all felonies; and battery against a household member and resisting police, both misdemeanors

Additional charges filed this week against Apodaca, from the earlier incident include: Aggravated burglary, assault with intent to commit a violent felony and false imprisonment, all felonies; and battery against a household member, a misdemeanor.

If he is prosecuted and convicted of all charges, he faces up to about 27 years in state prison, a fine of $39,000, or both.

Police find Apodaca yelling at victim

Grants Police Detective Sgt. John Castaneda told the Independent that when Apodaca had gone to the home of the female victim both times, he had entered without her permission.

“A temporary restraining order had been taken out on him prior to the second incident June 9,” which prompted the aggravated stalking charge, Castaneda said.

“We were looking for Mr. Apodaca to interview him about the first incident when officers were called about 5 a.m., Monday, to the female’s residence and found him inside the house yelling at the woman,” Castaneda said.

One of the officers found a window with a light on and looked through it because he heard a woman yelling. He saw Apodaca holding the victim by the arms and was pushing her, Cibola County Magistrate Court records state.

The officer heard the victim yell “somebody help me.” The officer went to the front of the house to forcefully open the door but another officer had made entry through a back door.

As he prepared to breech the door, it opened and the victim told the officer, “The other officer is in the back room and he needs your help,” court records state.

“There were marks on the victim’s arms,” Castaneda said.

Resisting arrest

While Apodaca was being escorted to the front room of the house, the victim entered the hallway and screamed “What are you doing.” At this point Apodaca resisted the officer by pulling away stating “she has a gun.” The officer pushed Apodaca into the front room, out of harm’s way, and looked to see if the victim was armed, which she was not. Apodaca then tried to run through the open door at the back of the house.

Officers caught him and as he struggled he was Tazed making him fall on the second officer. “I’m done” he told police.

Am emergency medical service unit was called to the house to check for injuries. Apodaca was then taken to Cibola General Hospital and cleared for incarceration. No gun was found in the residence, court records state.

The victim told police that Apodaca was banging on the windows and doors for two to three minutes prior to their arrival, that he forced her into the bedroom, threw her down on the bed and covered her mouth. She said she got up and tried to get Apodaca to leave, saying she was concerned about her 3-year-old daughter who was upset and crying, court records state.

No bond hold

Magistrate Court Presiding Judge Jackie Fisher said he placed a “no bond hold” on Apodaca after he was arrested and placed in custody at the detention center.

“I didn’t want him to go out and injure the victim, to do the same thing he was doing before,” Fisher said. “It is for the victim’s safety.”

Apodaca faces a preliminary hearing on Tuesday in Magistrate Court.

The case may be bound over to district court, however, for presentation to the 13th Judicial District grand jury for indictment due to the serious nature of the case.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 285-4560
or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.