On Saturday, June 14, 2025, a New Mexico State Police officer arrested a man in Socorro County for child abuse stemming from multiple reckless driving charges.

The officer observed a white Ford SUV traveling northbound on I-25 at approximately 119 MPH in a 75 MPH zone. Traveling southbound, the officer made a U-turn, activated his emergency lights, and went after the vehicle. Due to the SUV’s speed, it took the officer nearly 13 miles to catch up and stop the SUV.

Once stopped, the driver was identified as 44-year-old Eric Tercero. During the stop, the officer saw children inside the vehicle. Due to Tercero’s excessive speed and reckless driving behavior, he was arrested and booked into the Socorro County Detention Center. He faces the following charges:

• Child Abuse
• Reckless Driving
• Speeding (36+ MPH over the limit)
• Following too closely
• Overtaking a vehicle on the right
• Failure to yield the right of way
• Failure to maintain lane
• Turning movements and required signals

The New Mexico State Police remains committed to keeping our roads safe through proactive enforcement.