The Las Cruces Police Department has arrested a 28-year-old man who stands accused of killing a 57-year-old man in an August hit-and-run bicycle accident. According to crash investigators, the bicycle rider was traveling south on Valley Drive around 9 pm when he was struck from behind by a red Chevrolet pick-up truck. Police stated the bicycle became lodged beneath the truck after the bicyclist was thrown several feet from the street. The driver of the pick-up truck purportedly continued heading south on the roadway. Police later found the bicycle on South Main Street under an interstate overpass.
Following the crash, emergency responders transported the bicyclist to University Medical Center of El Paso where he was reportedly placed on life support. Sadly, the 57-year-old man died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the hit-and-run accident three days later.
In early September, accident investigators received information that led them to question the 28-year-old man in connection with the fatal incident. He was later charged with leaving the scene of an accident that caused bodily harm or death, careless driving, and evidence tampering. According to police, the man struck the bicyclist while reaching for his mobile telephone. He is currently being held in the Dona Ana County Detention Center.
Whether you are traveling by bicycle, car, or simply walking on a sidewalk, an unexpected collision with a careless driver can occur at any time. Section 66-3-702 of New Mexico’s Motor Vehicle Code requires that all bicyclists who travel on a roadway in our state be afforded the same rights as motor vehicles. Unfortunately, too many drivers ignore this obligation. As this case demonstrates, a bicycle rider who is involved in a traffic wreck with a truck, car, or other vehicle may sustain severe and disabling injuries or be tragically killed.
The victim in a hit-and-run crash may be eligible to recover financial compensation for his or her medical expenses, disability, pain and suffering, lost wages and benefits, and more. Additionally, the personal representative of someone who was killed in a traffic wreck may be entitled to receive monetary compensation pursuant to the New Mexico Wrongful Death Act.
It is important for crash victims to understand that uninsured motorist coverage in the State of New Mexico allows the victim of a hit-and-run motorist to recover for their damages even if the driver who caused their injury is never found by police. An accident victim may also be eligible to file a claim against the uninsured motorist policy of a family member who resides in the same household whether or not the insured vehicle was involved in the collision. A quality traffic accident lawyer can explain your rights in greater detail.
Contact the Fine Law Firm if you were hurt or a loved one was killed in a hit-and-run or other automobile accident anywhere in the State of New Mexico. Our hardworking Las Cruces personal injury attorneys have more than 100 years of combined experience helping the victims of devastating collisions receive the damages they deserve. To schedule a free, confidential case evaluation with a caring advocate, please call the lawyers at the Fine Law Firm at (505) 889-3463 or contact us through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Five People Killed in Three Holiday Weekend New Mexico Rollover Accidents Were Not Buckled Up, New Mexico Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, September 10, 2013
Bicycle Rider Killed in Accident with Pick-Up on New Mexico State Road 136 in Santa Teresa, New Mexico Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, August 28, 2013
Additional Resources:
Driver in deadly Las Cruces hit-and-run accident arrested, by Jesse Martinez, kfoxtv.com
Las Cruces bicyclist dies of injuries suffered in alleged hit-and-run, kvia.com