Teenager arrested after fatal hit-and-run in southwest Albuquerque

Deputies responded at about 8:54 p.m. Monday to Coors and Sage in southwest Albuquerque after a vehicle struck a pedestrian and fled. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office found an adult man dead at the scene.

Witnesses told deputies the man was crossing within the crosswalk when he was hit. KOB reported that he was lawfully in the crosswalk, underscoring how quickly a routine crossing on a busy west-side corridor turned deadly.

Investigators later arrested a 17-year-old in connection with the crash. 96.3 KKOB identified the suspect as a juvenile and said charges were filed, while a summary of the case said the teen was taken into custody without incident and charged with homicide by vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident involving great bodily harm or death.

BCSO said the case involved a fatal hit-and-run in southwest Albuquerque, and one social media post said northbound lanes of Coors were affected while investigators worked the scene. The crash put a hard spotlight on a stretch of road that many Bernalillo County residents use to reach homes, stores and major arterials through the southwest side.

The collision also sharpened questions that follow many serious pedestrian deaths on Coors Boulevard: whether the crossing was adequately visible, whether lighting was sufficient, and whether traffic speeds on the corridor match the number of people walking there. Background alerts in the area have also shown pedestrian-struck-by-vehicle incidents near Coors Blvd SW and Arenal Rd SW, adding to concerns that the corridor has repeated safety problems.

Coors has long carried a reputation as one of Albuquerque’s most dangerous streets, and a death at Coors and Sage will likely intensify calls for changes that go beyond one arrest. For residents, that can mean demands for stronger enforcement, better crosswalk design, more lighting and traffic calming on a road where a single impact can become a criminal case in seconds.