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Note: This article contains descriptions of domestic violence. La Casa offers emergency shelter via walk-in between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. or by calling 575-526-9513.
The city of Las Cruces agreed to pay a Las Cruces man $30,000 after a police dog mauled him during an arrest on March 4, 2022.
According to a settlement agreement obtained by the Las Cruces Bulletin on Aug. 27, the city agreed to pay Julian Valenzuela $30,000, although the settlement was agreed to in January 2024.
As shown in body camera footage obtained by Bulletin, Valenzuela, 37, was fleeing police after shooting at an officer on S. Espina Street near where he crashed his car into another at the Espina and University Avenue interaction.
Earlier in the day, police had been called to Valenzuela’s home and discovered he had shot his wife in the abdomen.
LCPD officer Matthew Dollar, who had shot back at Valenzuela during the chase on Espina, released his police dog on Valenzuela as officers surrounded the wrecked cars.
The dog pounced on Valenzuela and helped pull him out of the car, but Dollar was unable to convince the dog to release its bite.
Valenzuela later pled guilty to one count of aggravated battery. He was initially charged with four counts of abuse of a child (since the initial shooting occurred in front of his children), shooting at or from a motor vehicle and aggravated assault upon a peace officer, among other charges, all dismissed as part of the plea deal.
Valenzuela received a three-year sentence in prison, followed by two years of parole.
