By Hailey Heinz
Albuquerque Journal
ALBUQUERQUE — An Albuquerque police sergeant accused of running over and killing a woman in a bar parking lot in April was charged, arrested and released last month, according to court records.
Andrew Gallegos was charged Dec. 12 with tampering with evidence and leaving the scene of an accident involving death or injury, a third-degree felony carrying a maximum prison term of six years.
The charges stem from an incident in which Gallegos allegedly ran over and killed Vera “Tonie” Haskell, 47, who was lying next to his truck in the parking lot of Sidewinders on April 6. Police said after the incident that Gallegos drove off and did not call authorities.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Kari Brandenburg said Gallegos was booked in preparation for a preliminary hearing scheduled for late March. Because the case is going to a preliminary hearing, an unusual step in Bernalillo County, Gallegos was never charged in Metropolitan Court nor did he have a first appearance there.
On Wednesday, Gallegos’ attorney, Sam Bregman, reiterated that his client is innocent.
“We look forward to clearing his good name at this preliminary hearing and look forward to him ultimately returning to the Albuquerque Police Department,” Bregman said.
Brandenburg in May announced her intention to go to a preliminary hearing, saying she wanted to avoid a closed-door grand jury proceeding.
“When someone in the law enforcement community is accused, there’s lots of different questions, and the best way is for a judge to decide what’s appropriate,” Brandenburg said Wednesday. “The criminal justice system relies on police officers, and their integrity is paramount.”
She said charges were filed last month because prosecutors recently found a reliable witness in the case.
Gallegos became a suspect after surveillance video from the Sidewinders parking lot showed that the driver looked like Gallegos, according to a search warrant. It also said Gallegos told fellow officers he had blacked out from drinking on the night of Haskell’s death and did not know where he was or what he did, according to a search warrant.
Gallegos has been on leave without pay since the incident, and internal affairs is investigating, Police Chief Ray Schultz said Wednesday.
Copyright 2009 Albuquerque Journal