Family OK after West Side hostage drama

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A man fleeing police burst into an Albuquerque home Thursday taking a woman and her children hostage before her estranged husband and officers came to the rescue.

Albuquerque police report an officer tried to pull over Manuel Romero near Coors Boulevard NW and Iliff Road Thursday afternoon.

But as soon as he stopped, Romero, 20, bolted leaving this 2-year-old daughter behind in the car, police said.

At a nearby home in the 5600 block of Iliff a woman told police that when she first saw Romero trying to get into her home, she gave her 1-year-old baby to her 11-year-old and told them to hide.

She quickly called 911 then gave the phone to her son.

But when Romero got inside, he dragged her by her hair and threatened to hurt her family if she called police, she said.

The woman's estranged husband happened to show up at the house, learned what was happening and called police. When officers arrived and learned of the hostage situation, they gained access to the home and arrested Romero without injury to him or the hostages.

Romero is charged with kidnapping child abuse and burglary.

Police said Romero ran because he was wanted on two felony and one misdemeanor warrants.