Las Cruces man sentenced to 7 years for deadly motorcycle crash in 2022

A 38-year-old Las Cruces man was sentenced Wednesday to seven years in prison for intentionally crashing into a motorcycle and killing the 21-year-old rider two years ago, after witnesses said they were racing in the street.

A Las Cruces jury found Jason Salais guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter (a 3rd-degree felony) for crashing his SUV into a motorcycle and killing Jose Gomez back in February of 2022.

Salais had been originally charged with first-degree and second-degree murder, however, at the trial, the jury acquitted him of those charges.

The deadly crash happened on Feb. 25, 2022, at around 10 p.m., near University Avenue and Knox Street.

According to police, Gomez was riding his motorcycle when Salais' Ford SUV crashed into him.

Eyewitnesses told investigators that it initially appeared that Gomez and Salais were racing before Salais started driving erratically, making a U-turn at Espina Street and University Avenue and chasing after Gomez.

Witnesses said Salais- speeding on the wrong side of the road- hit a car, ran a red light, and crashed into Gomez before coming to a stop, hitting more vehicles.

According to the arrest affidavit, at the time of the incident, Salais called 911 and told the dispatcher that three or four guys were chasing him in a Camaro, yelling that they were pointing a gun at him.

The 911 dispatcher reportedly heard Salais scream,

F*** I am going back after him, f*** no!

At the time, Salais pled guilty to the charges. His attorney argued his client "feared for his life."

However, the prosecution questioned that stance saying that if Gomez was trying to shoot Salais in the altercation, why would he have stopped at a red light?