Allegations of misconduct and even criminal activity keep mounting for embattled state Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr.

Capt. Aric Wheeler of the Santa Fe Police Department confirmed Monday morning that the 34-year-old elected official is "a suspect in a stolen motor vehicle case."

Police last week found and returned to a Santa Fe car dealership a 2006 Honda Accord that Block is said to have taken on a test-drive July 13 and then failed to return. He also allegedly failed to respond to repeated phone calls from the dealership about the car.

By Monday afternoon, PRC Chairman Pat Lyons said he expects the commission to vote at its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday to join Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and state Democratic Party Chairman Javier Gonzales in asking Block, a Democrat, to resign as a result of various allegations of misconduct.

Lyons said he first will ask fellow commissioners to give Block a vote of no confidence. "I expect that to pass," he said. Lyons expects that will be followed by a vote on a resolution saying it would be in the best interest of Block's constituents for him to resign.

It's not known whether Block, whose Northern New Mexico district includes Santa Fe, will be present for the commission meeting. He has not returned phone calls seeking comment and has not been at work since Thursday.

Both Lyons and PRC Chief of Staff Johnny Montoya said they hadn't spoken with Block since a scandal broke late last week about Block's use of a state-issued card for gasoline purchases. Block wasn't at his office Monday, his assistant told a reporter.

Block already was facing criminal charges that he misused public campaign funds while running for office in 2008 when state officials recently began investigating reports that he racked up thousands of dollars in questionable charges at gasoline stations in the Santa Fe and Española areas. It also was disclosed that Block had used a state-owned vehicle while his driver's license was suspended.

Block told a KOB TV reporter on Thursday, "I wouldn't abuse state property or abuse a position that people have entrusted me to do that."

Block's father, Jerome Block Sr., a former public regulation commissioner who also faces charges related to use of public funds while he helped with his son's campaign, seemed upset when a reporter contacted him Monday to ask if he or anyone in the Block family wanted to comment on the allegations against his son.

"Why don't you have your dad call me?" Block Sr. said. "I don't know why you're calling me. All I know is what I've read about, so I don't know why you'd call me."

According to Santa Fe Police Department reports, Block Jr. and a salesman at Capital City Auto Sales, 3281 Cerrillos Road, had an agreement that the commissioner would test-drive a car overnight and have his mechanic inspect the car. That was July 13, about the same time the commissioner was confronted by Montoya about his suspended driver's license. In that confrontation with Montoya, the two agreed Block Jr. should no longer drive the state vehicle that had been assigned to him.

According to police, the test-drive was the last time the Honda Accord was seen at the dealership, until owner Gene Valencia filed a stolen-vehicle report Wednesday. Police located the car Thursday evening in downtown Santa Fe, where it was parked near the intersection of Water and Galisteo streets.

"A search was conducted on the car, and we found several items in the vehicle that tied Mr. Block to the car, but he was not located, and attempts by our officers to find him have been unsuccessful," Wheeler said.

Reporters from the New Mexican and KOB-TV had asked Santa Fe police on Friday about allegations concerning the dealership's car, but Wheeler said he was unable to publicly confirm the story until Monday morning. On Friday, representatives of the Attorney General's Office had asked to meet with Santa Fe police after the weekend, and the state officially took over the stolen-vehicle investigation Monday morning, Wheeler said.

"I cannot comment on the items seized because it is now the AG's case," Wheeler said.

A source confirmed that what was described as a possible suicide note was found in the car, but no details have been provided.

Wheeler, while staying away from commenting specifically on what was found in the car, said if investigators "have reason to believe somebody is going to harm themselves, it is our obligation to ensure they are safe, and there was no reason to think at the time of the search that (Block) was in immediate danger."

Phil Sisneros, a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, also would not comment on what was found because the case is "ongoing."

He also said he doesn't know when the search warrant for the Honda Accord will be filed in court or whether his office will request that it be sealed. Block's state-owned Dodge Durango was searched Thursday by Attorney General's Office investigators, and no details of what was found in that vehicle have been filed in court.

Search warrants are public records unless sealed by a judge, and there has been no indication that has happened in either of last week's Block-related searches.

Valencia, meanwhile, said Monday that he is just happy the dealership has the undamaged Honda Accord back on the lot to sell. He didn't want to comment further. He did say that this was a unique situation and that the dealership hasn't previously encountered confusion about test-drives that lasted for several weeks.

While police did try to locate Block to discuss the stolen-vehicle investigation, Wheeler said, in cases that don't involve allegations of violence or a hostile theft, it is common for officers not to pursue an immediate arrest.

"In cases where somebody is borrowing a car or has a potential miscommunication about an agreement on how long they are test-driving a car, we will often talk to all the parties involved first as opposed to pursuing an immediate arrest," Wheeler said.

As for Block Jr.'s political future, it remains unclear what will happen next. The PRC doesn't have the power to remove one of its members. If Block doesn't step down voluntarily, there's a chance the Legislature could consider impeachment.

Asked Monday whether there's any impeachment talk among legislators, state House Republican Leader Tom Taylor, R-Farmington, said he's "heard rumors" about such a move. Impeachment is something the Legislative Council Service might discuss at its next meeting, Taylor said.

Asked whether the governor would push for impeachment when the Legislature convenes for a special session next month, a spokesman reiterated Martinez's statement last week that Block Jr. had "compromised his ability to effectively serve on the PRC due to what appears to be an ongoing pattern of misconduct" and that Block should resign.

The last time the Legislature considered impeaching a state official was in 2005, after state Treasurer Robert Vigil was indicted with federal corruption charges.

The state House of Representatives formed a committee to consider impeachment proceedings. Vigil resigned during the committee's final meeting while panel members met behind closed doors to determine a recommendation.

Steve Terrell contributed to this report.

Contact Geoff Grammer at 986-3076 or ggrammer@sfnewmexican.com. Read his blog at santafecrime.com.