Driver Sentenced In Passenger’s Death
A Jicarilla Apache woman was sentenced Monday to a year in prison and three years of supervised release for the death of a passenger in her car when she lost control and flipped it.
Richaline Atole, 30, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Andy Talamante, 41, and was ordered to pay $6,163.50 to cover the costs of his funeral.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the incident occurred Oct. 16 when Talamante, riding in her car, urged Atole to pass a vehicle but, when she did so, her vehicle veered off the road into an arroyo, went airborne and flipped four or five times. Talamante was ejected and died at the scene.
Blood taken more than three hours after the crash found Atole’s blood alcohol content was .231, just shy of three times the legal limit.
Work Changes U.S. 84/285 Access
Construction on U.S. 84/285 just south of La Pueblo Road to the Pojoaque Pueblo boundary is nearing completion, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Interim access locations points to the east and west frontage roads will be replaced by interim slip-ramps on the south ends of the east and west frontage roads.
On Wednesday, northbound traffic will be provided an exit ramp onto the east frontage road, and the interim access will be closed. Residents will be able to access U.S. 84/285 at La Puebla Road.
On Thursday, the southbound interim access to the west frontage road will be closed. Residents will be able to access southbound U.S. 84/285 through the on ramp at the south end of the frontage road. Access to northbound U.S. 84/285 will require traveling north along the frontage road to either Boneyard Road or N.M. 399.
For up-to-date information on this work, visit nmroads.com.
Bike Crashes Leave 2 Hurt, 1 Dead
TAOS – A Truchas man was killed Sunday afternoon in one of two weekend motorcycle crashes in Rio Arriba County.
Mark G. Lopez, 40, was not wearing a helmet when he apparently lost control of his motorcycle and hit a retaining wall as he was northbound on N.M. 68 just north of Velarde about 5:30 p.m., said Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s spokesman Jake Arnold.
In the other wreck, which occurred Saturday afternoon on U.S. 64 about eight miles west of Tres Piedras, both victims were flown to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, according to New Mexico State Police.
Jerry J. Romero, 55, of Chimayó and passenger Diane Campbell were traveling with a group of motorcyclists when Romero veered to avoid a crash but lost control, throwing both him and Campbell, police said. Romero suffered scratches and his motorcycle received moderate damage.
DWI Numbers In For 1st Six Months
The numbers of DWI arrests, crashes and seized vehicles were up slightly for the first half of this year, while arrests of impaired minors driving vehicles were down for all of Santa Fe County, according to a report released Monday by the Santa Fe Underage Drinking Prevention Alliance.
Its figures comparing January-June 2011 to the same period a year ago showed that:
n DWI arrests were up from 459 to 503, with arrests by Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies and Santa Fe Police Department officers up and State Police down.
n The number of crashes involving alcohol or drugs was up from 67 to 71.
n Arrests of impaired minors behind the wheel were down from 79 to 53, with the biggest change within the city limits, from 52 to 32 arrests by the Santa Fe Police Department.
n The number of vehicles seized from DWI/DUI drivers was up from 268 to 275.
