Father Turns In Drunk-Driving Son After Fatal Hit-and-Run in Albuquerque

Demetrius Thomas, 34, allegedly struck and killed a woman while driving drunk in Albuquerque, then fled. His father drove him back and handed him over to police.

Albuquerque Father Turns Son Over to Police After Fatal Hit-and-Run

A 34-year-old Albuquerque man allegedly ran over and killed a pedestrian while driving drunk, fled the scene, and then called his father for a ride — only for his father to drive him back and point him out to officers. According to Law & Crime, which obtained the criminal complaint, Demetrius Thomas is now charged with homicide by vehicle-DWI and knowingly leaving the scene of a death.

The incident occurred on Sept. 25 near Central Avenue NE and Texas Street SE in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Thomas was behind the wheel of a gray Ford SUV when he struck a woman crossing the roadway. Rather than stopping, he drove approximately 0.6 miles to his apartment, leaving the victim dead in the street while bystanders attempted CPR.

Father Flags Down Officers at the Scene

When officers arrived at the crash site, a man flagged them down and directed their attention to a gray SUV pulling away from the area. That man was Thomas' father. "Come over here because he's the one who f—ing did it," the father allegedly told police, according to the complaint.

Thomas' father later told investigators that his son had called him after the crash asking to be picked up. The father described his response: "I'm like son, what the f— do you want me to do? 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 asked Thomas directly whether he had been drinking. Thomas replied, "Yeah."

Contradictory Statements to Police

When initially questioned by officers, Thomas denied consuming anything that could impair his driving, including alcohol or drugs. But while being placed into a patrol vehicle, he changed his account and admitted to drinking "one shot of Admiral Nelson around 9 a.m."

Thomas also offered an explanation for the collision itself, telling police: "She ran out in front of me and I didn't want to stop." He claimed he had been traveling at the speed limit, citing a nearby camera, and said he hit the brakes before impact. "She ran into the car and I got scared," he told officers, according to the complaint. He acknowledged going home after the crash because he was scared, adding that his parents had urged him to turn himself in.

The damaged SUV corroborated the collision: its front passenger-side bumper and hood were visibly damaged, and the windshield was caved in on the passenger side.

Bus Surveillance Footage

Police obtained surveillance footage from an Albuquerque Transit bus that captured the sequence of events on Central Avenue. The recording shows Thomas' SUV straddling the left and center lanes before the impact. The victim is seen crossing the roadway heading southbound, then beginning to run before being struck on the passenger side of the vehicle. Police stated the victim died "on impact."

Thomas subsequently failed field sobriety tests. Investigators concluded he was "impaired" at the time of the crash.

He now faces charges of homicide by vehicle-DWI and knowingly leaving the scene of a death.

Source: Law & Crime