Three Off-Duty AFR Firefighters Arrested for DWI

This evening, Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) has released a statement responding to recent incidents involving off-duty AFR firefighters arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in three separate incidents over the last two weeks.

Following these arrests, all three members have been promptly placed on administrative leave. The individuals involved are identified as Driver Angelo Abeyta, Driver Rane Hanni, and Firefighter Mateo Keyohara, and they will remain on leave pending the outcome of the investigations.

“Albuquerque Fire Rescue takes off-duty incidents seriously. These actions are not representative of the mission of AFR and do not align with the standards and expectations the department holds for the members of Albuquerque Fire Rescue,” stated Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo. “The department is conducting an internal investigation and are fully cooperating with law enforcement.“

AFR’s PIO Lt. Jason Fejer said that as the internal investigation continues, “the department is unable to provide additional information at this time.“

Angelo Abeyta

We learned that Angelo Abeyta was pulled over by Rio Rancho Police Department on March 13th, 2024. According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 3:50 PM, officers from RRPD were dispatched to Cleveland High School, situated at 4800 Cleveland Heights RD NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, in response to a Welfare Check call for service.

As officers were en route, dispatch provided an update indicating that the individual had entered a gray Toyota Tundra, departed from Cleveland High School, and was possibly traveling southbound on Loma Colorado. Upon arrival in the area, officers spotted a vehicle matching the provided description driving southbound on Loma Colorado.

A traffic stop was initiated, and RRPD officers made contact with the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, Angelo Abeyta. RRPD Officers noticed signs of impairment from Mr. Abeyta, such as slurred speech, bloodshot and watery eyes, and the smell of alcohol coming from his breath and face. Mr. Abeyta was questioned about his alcohol consumption prior to operating his vehicle, to which he stated that he had last consumed alcohol at 9:00 AM that morning. Concerns regarding his sobriety were communicated to Mr. Abeyta, who agreed to participate in Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs). Following the administration of SFSTs, signs of impairment were detected.

Consequently, Mr. Abeyta was placed under arrest for DWI by the RRPD. Mr. Abeyta is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Rane Wade Arlang Hanni

On March 17, 2024, at 9:44 PM, an officer from the Albuquerque Police Department was dispatched to the intersection of Commercial and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd NE concerning a silver Jeep Liberty making an improper southbound turn onto the train tracks to circumvent a sobriety checkpoint. An APD Sergeant spotted the vehicle, activated his emergency lights, and pulled it over. Another APD officer arrived and approached Sergeant Perez to inquire about the vehicle’s behavior at the checkpoint.

The officer then made contact with the driver of the vehicle, identified as Rane Wade Arlang Hanni, who was operating the Jeep. While speaking with Mr. Hanni, the APD officer noticed the smell of alcohol on his breath, observed slurred speech, and bloodshot, watery eyes. When asked, Mr. Hanni denied drinking. The officer then proceeded to conduct standardized field sobriety tests, explaining and demonstrating them to Mr. Hanni, who claimed to understand, and performed the tests. According to the criminal complaint, Mr. Hanni’s performance on the tests was unsatisfactory, leading to his arrest.

Mr. Hanni was then transported to the intersection of Broadway and Lomas NE, where the sobriety checkpoint was underway. Upon arrival at the checkpoint, the deprivation period concluded, and Mr. Hanni was presented with the New Mexico Implied Consent­Breath Test Advisory. Despite explanation, Mr. Hanni refused to undergo the test. Mr. Hanni’s refusal to take the test led to an aggravated charge, resulting in his arrest for Aggravated Driving under the Influence of an Intoxicating Liquor. Mr. Hanni is considered innocent until proven guilty.

Mateo Keyohara

On March 22, 2024, on Rio Grande just south of Indian School at approximately 11:46 PM, two officers from the Albuquerque Police Department observed a grey Toyota Tacoma traveling at an exceptionally high rate of speed northbound. The vehicle attempted to turn right onto Indian School from Rio Grande, but instead, it mounted the curb during the turn. Pursuing the vehicle eastbound on Indian School, the APD officers conducted a traffic stop when it stopped at the Allsups gas station at 1605 Indian School Rd NW. As the vehicle maneuvered around the roundabout in front of the gas station, it repeatedly mounted the curb. Upon attempting to park, the vehicle nearly collided with other vehicles in the lot, necessitating multiple attempts to park.

An officer then approached the driver of the grey Toyota Tacoma, identified as Mateo Keyohara, as he attempted to exit the vehicle after parking. Upon initial contact, an APD officer noticed clear signs of intoxication, including bloodshot eyes and a strong alcohol odor from his mouth. The officer informed Mr. Keyohara that he was being stopped for speeding and failing to maintain lane discipline. Despite this, Mr. Keyohara insisted repeatedly that he was just coming from his nearby residence. Suspecting Mr. Keyohara to be under the influence, the officer requested his vehicle keys and documentation, including Mr. Keyohara driver’s license, insurance, and registration.

Returning to Mr. Keyohara’s vehicle, the officer asked if he would undergo field sobriety testing, to which he consented. Mr. Keyohara affirmed that he had no balancing issues or vision impairments affecting his ability to drive. During the tests, Mr. Keyohara exhibited all six clues of nystagmus during the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, failed to maintain balance during the walk and turn test, and struggled with the one-leg stand test.

Subsequently, Mr. Keyohara was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. He was handcuffed, searched, and transported to the prisoner transport center. At the center, Mr. Keyohara agreed to a breath test after being read the implied consent. Despite an initial equipment malfunction and a subsequent data entry error, the intoxylizer test ultimately revealed results at or above double the legal limit, leading to Mr. Keyohara being charged with aggravated Driving Under the Influence. Mr. Keyohara is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Again, all three individuals named in this story are presumed innocent unless and until they’re convicted in a court of law.