Valencia County law enforcement officials are trying to crack down on the growing illegal activity taking place along ditch banks near the Rio Grande River. Reports are increasing of people driving off-road vehicles along ditch banks, and there have been incidents of weapons being fired.
“We were out all weekend talking with people helping to make sure that the area remained free of the off-highway vehicles,” Detective Ben Ben Lankasky told KRQE. “We’ve had reports of shots being fired of people that are on the ditch banks being shot at.”
According to the KRQE report, on June 23 Henry Ingram, 75, shot two rounds from his shotgun in the direction of a 13-year-old boy riding his dirt bike along one of the ditch banks right behind Ingram’s property. In another incident on June 27, Noah Herrera, 23, reportedly pulled out a handgun after being confronted for speeding along the ditch bank.
The Valencia County Sheriff’s Office said ditch banks are for use by vehicles and personnel from the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD), though the public is allowed to walk along the banks at their leisure.
“People enjoy doing other things like walking, entering the bosque off of them,” MRCGD Chief Engineer Jason Casuga said, according to KRQE. “That is something MRGCD doesn’t want to prevent. But we have to stop the aggressive vehicular use of the district right-of-ways.”
Options to curb the illegal activity are being considered.
“We recognize we can’t fence out and close down 1200 miles of the facility,” Casuga told KRQE. "It’s just impractical. But where we have to draw the line and try to find some balance is in the increased motor vehicle use and aggressive motor vehicle use.”
The use of signs with rules regarding off-road vehicles is being contemplated, as well as putting up fencing wherever available. The Valencia county sheriff’s is also considering continuing patrols along the ditch banks.