NMSP News:

DEMING — Using the Automatic License Plate Recognition system (ALPR), New Mexico State Police (NMSP) arrested an individual who struck and killed a bicyclist.

At approximately 1 p.m. Nov. 23, 2024, NMSP officers were dispatched to a fatal accident involving a vehicle and bicyclist on N.M. 11 near milepost 8. A passing motorist noticed debris and a bicycle in the dirt off the shoulder of the road and stopped to check the area.

They called 911 when they saw a man, identified as Kevin O’Leary, 69,  deceased near his bicycle. The suspect vehicle had fled the scene and there were no witnesses.

Based on the crash debris found at the scene, a Be On The Lookout (BOLO) was put out for a red vehicle that may have front-end damage. The ALPR system was utilized to identify the suspect vehicle, a 2011 red Cadillac sedan. Border Patrol and Customs notified NMSP that a vehicle matching that description had crossed into Mexico immediately following the crash at the Columbus Port of Entry. 

The driver of the Cadillac was later positively identified as Noel Ronquillo Jr., 33. An arrest warrant was obtained for Ronquillo Jr. and he was taken into custody without incident Nov. 25, 2024 in Deming.

Charges include: 

• Involuntary Manslaughter; and
• Knowingly Leaving the Scene of an Accident (Great Bodily Harm or Death).

“ALPR technology has been widely praised for improving law enforcement’s ability to track and capture criminals,” NMSP Chief Troy Weisler said. “In just a short time, this system identified a vehicle that was involved in a homicide, leading to an arrest. If not for this technology, this case might not have been solved so swiftly, and a dangerous offender might have still been on the street.”