On Oct. 12, the Warrior Fuel II gas station, on the south side of U.S. 550 between the Town of Bernalillo and the Pueblo of Santa Ana, mistakenly received a delivery of diesel fuel into its unleaded tank from a third-party vendor. The error affected numerous customers, resulting in significant vehicle repairs for some, according to Amanda Velarde, CEO of Tamaya Ventures.
Both Warrior gas stations along U.S. 550 are subsidiaries of Tamaya Ventures, a corporation owned and operated by the Pueblo of Santa Ana. According to Velarde, only the Warrior II station on the south side was affected by the fuel delivery mix-up. Velarde did not name the vendor but said Warrior was not to blame for the mix-up.
“We really want to thank our customers for their patience, as we get them back on the road,” Velarde said. “Based on our conversation with the vendor, this happens occasionally. It is a very rare occurrence, and this was no fault of any of the Warrior staff.”
According to Velarde, sensors detected the issue, prompting staff to shut down the pumps. A third-party test confirmed the human error and unleaded and mid-grade pumps were immediately shut off, with signs posted on the doors and pumps.
But many customers said they unknowingly filled up with the wrong fuel, and a flurry of social media posts warned others to avoid the gas station. Diana Berrigan Huizar, for instance, told the Signpost that her van required repairs costing approximately $3,000.
“We as a company started immediately working with our customers to get them back on the road,” Velarde said. “This meant us making payments to tow companies and mechanic shops to ensure that their cars were up and operating on Sunday.”
She said gas station staff and the vendor spent most of the next day removing the contaminated fuel, cleaning and refilling the tanks. The company uses advanced systems, including security cameras and sales records, to access receipts and assist customers in getting back on the road without having to file an insurance claim, she said.
“We value our customers, and our goal really is to restore loyalty and trust by getting our customers back on the road quickly,” Velarde said. “So at this time, Warrior is paying for those repairs directly, and our third party has taken responsibility and will be reimbursing us as we get our customers back on the road.”
If you purchased gas from the Warrior II gas station on Oct. 12, please contact the gas station at 505-867-9700 or contact the Tamaya Ventures office at 505-867-4206 for assistance.