Man Is Suspected In Another Fatal Crash

The man sentenced to prison for the killing of then-Albuquerque Public Schools superintendent Joseph Vigil in a crash nine years ago is now suspected of killing a pedestrian in Farmington while driving under the influence of drugs, Farmington police said.

Joe Raymond Gallegos, 43, struck a woman Wednesday shortly after 5 p.m. as she bent over to pick an item up in a crosswalk at Main Street and Court Avenue, witnesses told Farmington police. She was dragged under Gallegos’ SUV for several feet before Gallegos fled into a nearby mobile home to get rid of large amounts of heroin and cocaine, police said.

Witnesses chased Gallegos to the trailer and alerted police, who arrested him under suspicion of driving under the influence, said Farmington Police Department Lt. Tracy Taft.

Police later searched the trailer and found 15.5 grams of heroin and 13.5 grams of cocaine, which Gallegos admitted were his, Taft said.

Gallegos has been charged with homicide by vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, tampering with evidence, possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to distribute, aggravated DWI and reckless driving.

Police identified the victim as 32-year-old Delandra Pioche of Farmington. She was pro- nounced dead at the scene.

While being questioned, Gallegos told police he had been convicted of killing Vigil, then-APS superintendent, and another passenger in a car crash near Estancia in 2003. Gallegos was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2004 after pleading no contest to two counts of vehicular homicide in connection with the crash.

Gallegos, who was driving Vigil’s black Lexus on July 27, 2003, flipped the car on gravel while driving at 80 mph on Torrance County roads near Moriarty. Vigil and Gallegos’ half brother, Manuel Ruiz, who were passengers in the car, were ejected. Vigil died at the scene and Ruiz died a few days later.

Vigil was a 26-year employee of APS and had just been named lead superintendent when he was killed.

Gallegos was being held at the San Juan County Detention Center. His bond was set at $500,000.