Onlooker: It was something I hope to never witness again

Slew of officers follow man from scene of flipped truck into Cracker Barrel

On Tuesday diners and staff at an Albuquerque Cracker Barrel were stunned to see a group of officers rush in and chase down Anthony Lujan.It began Tuesday afternoon when a truck flipped near Sequoia and Coors Boulevard. The suspect inside, Lujan ran from Albuquerque police officers, ducking into the nearby restaurant.Officers, who believed Lujan was armed, raced into the restaurant full of people. The chaotic scene was caught on an officer's lapel video.Bernie Tapia, a waiter at the Cracker Barrel, was inside eating on his day off when he heard police screaming, “Drop your weapon!”“There was 15, maybe 20 officers who stormed in,” Tapia said.Lapel camera footage shows Lujan behind a display.“Put your hands up right now! Put your hands up,” and officer said.Tapia noticed all the guests beginning to run toward the exit.“Me and one of my coworkers ran to the front to help if we could,” he said.Lujan was arrested and taken outside.“It was a really wild situation,” Lujan said. “Something I hope to never witness again.”No injuries were reported.Lujan is wanted for a string of other violent crimes in the past month. He’s accused of beating his girlfriend, and in another case, accused of badly abusing his girlfriend’s 2-year-old son.For Tuesday’s incident he faces numerous charges included aggravated assault on an officer. He’s accused of driving a truck right at an officer, who had to jump out of the way, before crashing. His bond was set at $15,000 cash or surety.

On Tuesday diners and staff at an Albuquerque Cracker Barrel were stunned to see a group of officers rush in and chase down Anthony Lujan.

It began Tuesday afternoon when a truck flipped near Sequoia and Coors Boulevard. The suspect inside, Lujan ran from Albuquerque police officers, ducking into the nearby restaurant.


Officers, who believed Lujan was armed, raced into the restaurant full of people. The chaotic scene was caught on an officer's lapel video.

Bernie Tapia, a waiter at the Cracker Barrel, was inside eating on his day off when he heard police screaming, “Drop your weapon!”

“There was 15, maybe 20 officers who stormed in,” Tapia said.

Lapel camera footage shows Lujan behind a display.

“Put your hands up right now! Put your hands up,” and officer said.

Tapia noticed all the guests beginning to run toward the exit.

“Me and one of my coworkers ran to the front to help if we could,” he said.

Lujan was arrested and taken outside.

“It was a really wild situation,” Lujan said. “Something I hope to never witness again.”

No injuries were reported.

Lujan is wanted for a string of other violent crimes in the past month. He’s accused of beating his girlfriend, and in another case, accused of badly abusing his girlfriend’s 2-year-old son.

For Tuesday’s incident he faces numerous charges included aggravated assault on an officer. He’s accused of driving a truck right at an officer, who had to jump out of the way, before crashing. His bond was set at $15,000 cash or surety.