A jury is deliberating the case of a former Albuquerque police officer accused of leaving the scene of a deadly hit-and-run involving a pedestrian last May of 2025. According to KOB 4, Krystal Garcia was riding as a passenger on a motorcycle driven by former officer Ezekiel Florez when it struck Daniel Trujillo along Central Avenue of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Both officers were off duty at the time of the crash.
Garcia is charged with knowingly leaving the crime scene as well as tampering with evidence. While Florez, who was driving the motorcycle, pleaded guilty to the same charges in May and was sentenced to three years in prison. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped the vehicular homicide charge against him.
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On the trial, Garcia took the witness stand as the defense’s only witness before closing arguments. She testified that she was not aware of the crash until she received a news alert about an accident in the area where they recently traveled. Garcia also claimed that Florez places the motorcycle in her garage without informing her about what had happened.
Prosecutors questioned Garcia’s claims, pointing out her call records and the motorcycle found parked inside her garage. They argued that she knows about the crash and helped hide the motorcycle instead of reporting the incident right at that moment. They also questioned why she called an APD sergeant rather than 911 after finding out what happened.
Garcia’s defense, on the other hand, argued that she tried to convince Florez to return to the scene but could not control his decisions. The crash was also captured by a surveillance footage at a nearby ART bus station, which recorded the motorcycle hitting Trujillo.
What’s Next
The jury started deliberating on Thursday and spent about an hour and a half discussing the case before calling it a day. They are expected to continue reviewing the evidence and testimonies before deciding whether Garcia is guilty of the charges against her.
Why It Matters
The case raises various of questions but specifically the question of accountability of police officers, even when they are off duty. Although Florez had already pleaded guilty, Garcia still has to face the charges against her. The jury’s decision will determine whether the prosecution has presented enough evidence to prove that she knowingly and intentionally left the scene and tampered with the evidence.
About This Story
Daily Reports is Brant.One's news roundup. Each day we gather the New Mexico stories worth knowing from newsrooms across the state, sum them up and point you to the source. This one comes from KOB 4's reporting, and their original story has the interviews and full details. The original story was reported by Monica Logroño.
