Driver suspected of almost hitting security guard at Hotel Encanto
LAS CRUCES, N.M. March 7 2018 Police said they arrested a Truth or Consequences man after the tried ramming his pickup into at least three other vehicles – nearly striking a security guard – in the parking lot of a Las Cruces hotel early Tuesday morning.
Dale Iacofano, 55, was charged with a third-degree felony count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and fourth-degree felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal damage to property. Iacofano also faces two misdemeanor counts of leaving the scene of an accident and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer.
The incident was reported after 2 a.m. Tuesday. Las Cruces police said they arrived and found Iacofano with a gun at the Hotel Encanto. They said he had become irate after he tried to rent a hotel room but was told there were no vacancies. They said hotel security intervened and Iacofano left the hotel lobby.
A hotel security guard was in the parking lot, in his car, when a blue Toyota Tundra approached, said police. The security guard recognized the pickup’s driver as Iacofano, the man he dealt with earlier in the hotel lobby. As the guard exited his vehicle to approach Iacofano, the Tundra accelerated and nearly struck the guard. The Tundra struck the guard’s vehicle as it sped past him, said police.
Investigators said Iacofano yelled at the security guard, threatening to use a handgun on him.
Witnesses told investigators the Tundra left the parking lot for a moment but returned and struck two more vehicles in the parking lot – a red Toyota Tacoma occupied by its driver and a maroon Ford Mustang that was parked. Iacofano actively resisted LCPD officers as they took him into custody, they said. Police subsequently located a firearm in Iacofano’s pickup, but it was not used during the incident.
Iacofano was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center, where he’s initially being held without bail.
KFOX14
