KOB 4 News (Albuquerque, NM) reports that during June 2023, Eduardo Isasi, who now has to use a wheelchair, was injured after his motorcycle was rear-ended by a truck along Route 66 in Edgewood, New Mexico. Witnesses verified the hit-and-run and the driver of the truck, Jayson Apodaca, who had abandoned the truck nearby. Apodaca was found and subsequently charged with DWI after he reportedly admitted drinking that day and failed a blood test.
As the news article states, one would think that this was an open-and-shut case, but not so fast…
The First Judicial District Attorney’s Office, led by District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, has reportedly established a policy for all misdemeanor DWI cases described as ‘pushing pause’ to slow down the charging process to allow for the collection of all evidence in a case before ‘pushing play’ once again. Although the policy supposedly assures additional accountability and an increase in conviction rates, tracking data collected by KOB 4 News during 2023 shows only about 50 convictions out of approximately 400 cases – with more than 100 cases dismissed and yet to be refiled.
The KOB 4 News report may be read HERE.
My brothers and sisters, it’s no secret that New Mexico has, for decades, been identified as one of the very worst states in the nation for DWI issues and pedestrian deaths. Based on the foregoing KOB 4 News article, it appears that even felony hit-and-run cases with grievous bodily injuries are not being prioritized or expedited to assure justice, with the alleged offender(s) continuing on with their lives while the lives of the victims or the injured are shattered.
As Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham seeks to clamp down on personal liberties afforded by the U.S. Constitution (read: The Second Amendment) through the New Mexico Supreme Court, perhaps there remains a more urgent need, which is to increase the number of law enforcement officers and prosecutors, to enhance the monitoring of local DWI cases for timely resolution within the statutes of limitations, and to revise the judicial system – which seems to create the ‘oft discussed “revolving door” – resulting in the premature release of suspected criminals and repeat offenders back into society.
In New Mexico, intoxicated driving, made even worse now because of widespread legal use of recreational marijuana, must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law or there will never be a sufficient deterrent to drinking and driving (or driving while otherwise intoxicated).
Let’s pray for our governor, our legislators, and for all of those who work day-in-and-day-out in the judicial system, including our district attorneys, that they would not become calloused to the plight of those killed and injured by intoxicated and irresponsible drivers, despite an overwhelming case load. Their jobs are highly critical in the effort to assure a safe and stable society.
If the case load is overwhelming, then why is that not the priority of the legislature? We have millions and millions of dollars to throw at tax breaks for green energy, movie making subsidies, marijuana regulation, and even the direct support by taxpayers for abortion (including a state-sponsored abortion facility in Las Cruces), so this writer just doesn’t buy the argument that we can’t afford enhancements to our system of justice. It’s far too easy to become numb to the situation, and to forget the humanity and the pain suffered by those who have lost loved ones or now live with grievously-injured family members because of the actions of those who are selfish and choose to drive while intoxicated.
Sadly, this all seems to fall right in line with New Mexico’s embracement of the “culture of death” in which freewheeling abortion, legal drug use, protected assisted suicide and the lack of sufficient prosecution for habitual DWI offenders abound, and are even defended.
And, let’s always remember:
Micah 6:8 (ESV)
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Proverbs 21:15 (ESV)
“When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.”
Proverbs 24:16-17 (Amplified Bible)
“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, [b]ut the wicked stumble in time of disaster and collapse. Do not rejoice and gloat when your enemy falls, [a]nd do not let your heart be glad [in self-righteousness] when he stumbles…”.
Praise Jesus forevermore!
