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Racing veterans Al Unser Sr. and Bobby Unser were arrested Wednesday after sheriff's deputies said the brothers ignored orders to leave an area where authorities had cornered a carjacking suspect.
The Bernalillo County sheriff's department said the suspect led police on a high-speed chase while shooting at them Wednesday morning. The man eventually crashed into a car on the city's west side and later shot himself.
During the standoff, authorities had cordoned off a road named after the Unser family.
Deputies said Al Unser Sr. started to go through the roadblock to get home when deputies warned him to stop. Bobby Unser, who was in a separate vehicle, also refused to leave.
"They simply told them numerous times to leave the area and they simply refused to do so," said Erin Kinnard Thompson, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's department. "We're not talking about a situation where we're trying to catch a shoplifter. This was a serious and dangerous situation."
Both men were arrested for resisting arrest and obstructing officers. They were booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center and later released.
Bobby Unser said he plans to contact Sheriff Darren White to tell his side of the story.
The two Unsers have seven Indianapolis 500 wins between them.
The Bernalillo County sheriff's department said the suspect led police on a high-speed chase while shooting at them Wednesday morning. The man eventually crashed into a car on the city's west side and later shot himself.
During the standoff, authorities had cordoned off a road named after the Unser family.
Deputies said Al Unser Sr. started to go through the roadblock to get home when deputies warned him to stop. Bobby Unser, who was in a separate vehicle, also refused to leave.
"They simply told them numerous times to leave the area and they simply refused to do so," said Erin Kinnard Thompson, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's department. "We're not talking about a situation where we're trying to catch a shoplifter. This was a serious and dangerous situation."
Both men were arrested for resisting arrest and obstructing officers. They were booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center and later released.
Bobby Unser said he plans to contact Sheriff Darren White to tell his side of the story.
The two Unsers have seven Indianapolis 500 wins between them.
