ALBUQUERQUE, NM — An 11-year-old child died after a two-vehicle rollover crash Friday night on Interstate 40 near Unser Boulevard in west Albuquerque, according to New Mexico State Police. Investigators say the collision happened around 9:54 p.m. in the eastbound lanes and involved a Dodge passenger car and a Chevrolet SUV.
State police identified the Dodge driver as 18-year-old Malachi Velasquez-McCormick. Officers said he was later arrested after being released from the hospital and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. He faces charges including homicide by vehicle, aggravated DWI with bodily injury, reckless driving and open container.
Authorities said the crash sent everyone in both vehicles to the hospital, but the young child in the Chevrolet suffered fatal injuries.
State police say the Dodge was speeding before the impact
Investigators determined that Velasquez-McCormick was driving east on I-40 at a high rate of speed with three other passengers in his vehicle. Police say he moved into the right lane to pass a semitruck, then tried to return to the left lane after passing it.
That maneuver led to the collision, according to state police. Officials said the Dodge struck the rear passenger side of the Chevrolet SUV, which had six people inside. The force of the impact caused both vehicles to roll over.
Police have not released further details about the circumstances of the crash, including which occupants were seated where inside the SUV or whether any other vehicles were involved.
Alcohol containers were found in the Dodge
During their investigation, officers found multiple open containers of alcohol in the Dodge, state police said. The discovery became part of the case against Velasquez-McCormick as investigators worked to determine what contributed to the wreck.
Police said an officer later observed signs of impairment while interviewing Velasquez-McCormick and conducting sobriety tests. According to investigators, he told the officer that he had consumed alcohol and used marijuana before the crash.
Those details support the aggravated DWI and vehicle homicide charges filed after the collision. State police have not publicly said whether any toxicology results were available at the time of the arrest.
All seven people in the two vehicles were taken to hospitals
Velasquez-McCormick and his three passengers were transported for treatment, along with three passengers from the Chevrolet SUV, police said. The agency did not immediately release the extent of injuries for the people who survived the crash.
That left the fatality as the only publicly confirmed outcome from the wreck, though investigators said the incident seriously affected everyone involved. Because both vehicles rolled over, rescuers had to respond to a violent crash scene on a busy stretch of interstate.
The crash happened near Unser Boulevard, a western Albuquerque interchange where traffic can move quickly and lane changes can come up fast, especially at night. State police have not said whether visibility or road conditions played any role.
Arrest and booking followed hospital release
After being released from the hospital, Velasquez-McCormick was arrested and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center, according to New Mexico State Police. The booking marked the start of the criminal case stemming from the Friday night collision.
The charges listed by police include homicide by vehicle, aggravated DWI, reckless driving and open container. Those allegations center on the combination of alleged impairment, high speed and the lane change that investigators say preceded the crash.
Police did not immediately announce a court date or say whether additional charges could follow. For now, the case remains focused on the crash investigation and the conduct officers say they observed that night.
The crash adds to concerns on a busy stretch of Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is one of the region’s main traffic corridors, and the area around Unser Boulevard carries steady eastbound and westbound travel through west Albuquerque. A rollover crash there can bring major consequences because of the speed and volume of traffic on the roadway.
This case also underscores how quickly a high-speed pass and lane change can turn deadly when alcohol and drug use are involved. State police have tied the crash to speeding, open alcohol containers and Velasquez-McCormick’s statement that he had used both alcohol and marijuana.
Investigators have not said whether the crash reconstruction is complete, but the facts released so far point to a case built around impaired and reckless driving on a major interstate. The child’s death remains the most tragic outcome of the collision.
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