ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Albuquerque police say a road rage confrontation in the city last month involved a black Rolls-Royce, a father driving with his three children, and former UFC fighter Diego Sanchez as a passenger. Officers say the driver, Omar Rabadi, is now wanted on an arrest warrant in connection with the case.
Police said the incident happened in August near Wyoming Boulevard and San Francisco Road in northeast Albuquerque. They say the encounter escalated after the Rolls-Royce drove aggressively close to Wayne Church’s vehicle and then rammed it while Church had his children in the car.
Police say the confrontation escalated near Wyoming and San Francisco
According to Albuquerque police, the dispute began when Church was driving with his three children and a black Rolls-Royce began following and crowding his car. Officers say the driver was Rabadi, who then pulled out a gun during the confrontation.
Police say Rabadi used his vehicle to strike Church’s car. The account given by officers places the encounter in a busy northeast Albuquerque area and describes a fast-moving confrontation that put children in the middle of the incident.
Officers say Diego Sanchez was in the passenger seat
Police say Sanchez was riding in the Rolls-Royce when the confrontation happened. Officers also say he began throwing Twisted Teas at Church’s car during the incident.
Sanchez’s name drew attention because of his past as a well-known mixed martial arts fighter, but Albuquerque police say he is not facing charges in the case. They said they do not expect to charge him at this time, indicating investigators currently view Rabadi as the focus of the criminal case.
Omar Rabadi is wanted on an arrest warrant
Police say there is an active arrest warrant for Rabadi in connection with the road rage case. They have not publicly detailed whether he is accused of the gun threat, the vehicle strike, or both, but they described him as the driver of the Rolls-Royce.
The warrant is the most significant immediate development in the case. Officers have not said when Rabadi might be taken into custody or whether additional evidence from the confrontation could affect the investigation.
Sanchez is already in jail on a separate probation matter
Police said Sanchez is currently in jail for probation violations tied to a 2025 case. That custody status means he is already being held on an unrelated matter while investigators sort out the road rage allegations described by Albuquerque police.
For now, officers say the road rage case remains tied to Rabadi as the person wanted on the warrant. Sanchez’s jail status does not appear to change the police position that he is not expected to be charged in this incident.
The case centers on a brief but dangerous confrontation involving children
The police account describes a confrontation that quickly turned dangerous in a public roadway. A father transporting his children was met by aggressive driving, a gun display, and a vehicle strike, according to investigators.
Because the incident happened in northeast Albuquerque and involved a vehicle used as a weapon, the case now turns on the warrant for Rabadi and any next steps from police. Albuquerque police have not said whether the children or Church were physically hurt during the encounter.
