Authorities in New Mexico have arrested a 15-year-old boy in an intentional hit-and-run crash that killed a cyclist in Albuquerque nearly a year ago.
Wednesday’s arrest occurred just a day after the Albuquerque Police Department asked the public for help in locating the young suspect, who was “wanted in connection with a homicide involving an Albuquerque cyclist during his morning commute to work.”
Two other children, ages 13 and 11, were detained earlier this week.
The three boys are accused of deliberately crashing a stolen car into Scott Dwight Habermehl — a 63-year-old physicist riding his bike to work at Sandia Labs in Albuquerque — in the early hours of May 29, 2024, according to police.
Last month, APD investigators learned that the boys had posted cellphone video of the crash on social media. The video, which appears to have been filmed from inside the vehicle, shows the 13-year-old driving the car, the 11-year-old in the passenger’s seat holding a gun and the 15-year-old in the backseat, officials said.
The 13-year-old boy can be heard saying he was about to hit the bicyclist before he appeared to accelerate. The back passenger can be heard saying, “Just bump him, brah.” The driver responded, “Like bump him?” The back passenger repeated, “Yeah, just bump him. Go like…15…20.”
The car then enters a designated bike lane and strikes Habermehl from behind, the video appears to show.
The 13-year-old and 15-year-old have been charged with first-degree murder and related offenses.
On Wednesday, a juvenile court judge ruled the 13-year-old would remain in custody, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said.
The 11-year-old, who is in the custody of the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department, will also face murder charges in the case.
“New Mexico law prevents a child under 12 years old from being detained in a juvenile facility, but a child of that age can be charged with murder,” Bregman said.