Cuba — A 65-year-old driver accused of striking and killing a road crew safety worker while driving through a construction zone on U.S. 550 near the Apache Nugget Casino north of Cuba in Sandoval County is scheduled to make his first felony court appearance next week.
Court documents filed earlier this month in District Court say New Mexico State Police were called to the scene just before 3:30 p.m. Aug. 2 for reports that a vehicle had entered the northbound lanes of a construction zone and struck a worker. The victim’s coworkers at Southwest Safety provided police with a description of the vehicle, which was located about a half hour later. It was found to have blood on it along with damage consistent with the incident, according to court documents.
Police say the driver told them he remembered entering the safety area and that he had hit something. He told officers he continued driving because he believed it to be something that had fallen from a truck, not a person. The driver estimated his speed to be about 72 mph and said he may have fallen asleep.
Investigators found that the construction area was well-marked with orange barrels and a flashing warning light.
State Police charged the driver with knowingly leaving the scene of an accident involving death, a felony, and other misdemeanor traffic charges. He was released on his own recognizance pending his felony first appearance scheduled for Aug. 26.