Man charged in DWI crash on I-25 in Northeast Albuquerque

An Albuquerque man who has been arrested multiple times for DWI was put behind bars again on Wednesday in connection with a suspected drunken driving crash on Interstate 25 that left a person in critical condition.

Alex Tafoya, 42, is charged with reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in great bodily harm and two counts of having an open alcohol container.

An Albuquerque police spokeswoman said the 42-year-old woman who was struck by Tafoya is in critical condition and “facing life-threatening injuries.”

It is unclear if Tafoya has an attorney. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Wednesday.

Tafoya has been arrested for DWI three times since 2000, according to court records. The first arrest Tafoya pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 days in jail and community service.

Court records show a 2007 DWI case against Tafoya was dismissed due to prosecutors not being able to proceed, and a 2021 DWI case was dismissed due to prosecutors not providing discovery.

On Wednesday around 3:45 a.m., officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on southbound Interstate 25 near Jefferson, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. The driver, later identified as Tafoya, allegedly crashed into the back of the other vehicle, fled on foot and was tracked down by a New Mexico State Police officer.

Police said the debris field from the crash was “well over 100 feet” and a passenger in the other vehicle was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Officers saw multiple beer bottles in Tafoya’s vehicle and, according to police, he had red eyes, slurred speech and smelled of alcohol.