Albuquerque, New Mexico — A New Mexico father allegedly helped police identify his own son after the man struck and killed a woman while driving an SUV, fled the crash scene and then called his father for help, according to police.
Demetrius Thomas, 34, is accused of fatally striking the woman near Central Avenue NE and Texas Street SE in Albuquerque on Sept. 25. Instead of stopping after the collision, Thomas allegedly drove roughly 0.6 miles to his apartment, leaving the victim in the roadway while bystanders attempted CPR, according to a criminal complaint.
When officers arrived, a man flagged them down and pointed toward a gray SUV leaving the area. That man was allegedly Thomas’ father.
Father Allegedly Points Police Toward His Son
According to the complaint, Thomas’ father told officers exactly who they were looking for.
“Come over here because he’s the one who f—ing did it,” the father allegedly told officers.
The gray Ford SUV reportedly showed obvious signs of a serious collision. The vehicle had damage to its front passenger-side bumper and hood, while the windshield was caved in on the passenger side.
Thomas then stepped out of the SUV and was detained by officers. Investigators later learned that Thomas had allegedly called his father shortly after the crash and asked him to come pick him up. The father reportedly questioned his son about what had happened and told him he needed to return to the scene.
Son Allegedly Admits He Had Been Drinking
According to the complaint, Thomas’ father recalled telling his son:
“I’m like son, what the f— do you want me to do?”
Thomas allegedly explained that he had been involved in a collision. His father then told him:
“Um, you gotta go back over there. You hit somebody. You don’t know if they hurt or not, you gotta go back over there.”
The father also allegedly asked Thomas whether he had been drinking. Thomas reportedly responded:
“Yeah,”
However, Thomas later gave police a different account. During questioning, he allegedly denied consuming anything that could impair his driving, including alcohol or drugs.
Thomas Later Allegedly Admits to a Shot of Alcohol
While officers were placing Thomas into a patrol vehicle, they reportedly asked him again whether he had consumed alcohol. This time, Thomas allegedly admitted that he had consumed “one shot of Admiral Nelson around 9 a.m.”
Investigators also questioned him about what happened immediately before the crash. Thomas allegedly told police:
“She ran out in front of me and I didn’t want to stop,”
He reportedly said he had been driving home and claimed he was traveling at the speed limit because “there’s a camera right there.” Thomas allegedly described braking before the collision and said:
“I stepped on the brake and she hit, she ran into the car and I got scared,”
According to the complaint, Thomas acknowledged that he went home after the collision because he was scared. He allegedly said his parents later told him to turn himself in.
Surveillance Footage Shows Fatal Collision
Investigators obtained surveillance video from an Albuquerque Transit bus that reportedly captured the moments surrounding the crash.
According to the criminal complaint, the footage showed Thomas’ SUV traveling along Central Avenue while straddling the left and center lanes.
The victim was reportedly crossing the roadway southbound when she began running and was struck by the passenger side of the SUV. Police said the woman died “on impact.”
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The footage became a key part of the investigation as detectives worked to establish what happened before and after the collision.
Police Say Thomas Was Impaired
Thomas allegedly failed field sobriety tests after officers detained him. Police subsequently determined that he was “impaired” while driving, according to the complaint.
Authorities charged Thomas with homicide by vehicle-DWI and knowingly leaving the scene of a death.
The allegations remain accusations, and the criminal complaint describes the evidence and statements investigators say they obtained during the investigation. Thomas would be entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty in court.
The case also highlights the potentially devastating consequences of leaving a crash scene, particularly when someone may be seriously injured or killed.
In this case, investigators say Thomas’ father ultimately directed officers toward his son after allegedly being asked to pick him up.
What do you think about the father’s decision to take his son back to the crash scene and identify him to police? Share your thoughts in the comments.
