Teen Suspect in Fatal Hit-and-Run Considered a Threat to Public Safety as Police Apprehend Third Individual

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—A 13-year-old boy, now charged with murder for a seemingly intentional hit-and-run that struck a bicyclist on his way to work, was ordered on Wednesday to stay in custody. Concurrently, authorities in Albuquerque disclosed that their search for another teen linked to the incident has concluded.

The boy held in custody is thought to be the driver of the vehicle that was involved in the May 2024 hit-and-run, which tragically claimed the life of 63-year-old physicist Scott Dwight Habermehl while he was cycling to his position at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque. He was only 12 years old at the time of the incident.

According to authorities, two other boys were present in the car that morning—one who had recently turned 11 and another who was 15 at the time.

The older boys face several charges, including an open count of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in serious bodily harm or death, and unlawful possession of a handgun by a minor, as stated by police.

The district attorney’s office confirmed that the youngest boy will also be charged with murder. Just over a week following the fatal accident, police apprehended him on an unrelated felony warrant, as per law enforcement sources.

The crash was captured on video from within the car and shared on social media. The footage was reported to authorities by individuals, including a middle school principal, after a student brought it to their attention.

During a children’s court hearing for the 13-year-old on Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney Bridget McKenney played the video of the crash. The footage depicts the vehicle accelerating as a bicycle’s flashing tail light comes into view. A voice, believed to be that of the older teen, can be heard saying, “Just bump him, brah.”

Additionally, she presented photographs of the car, showcasing a shattered right side of the windshield, a dented hood, and a damaged bumper.

“I can think of no better term than callous behavior to describe what we’ve witnessed,” McKenney stated to the court. “You can hear the impact of the victim hitting the windshield. You can see them turning the camera as they accelerate away, watching the victim fall to the ground.”

She noted that Habermehl was left mortally wounded on the roadside while the boys changed vehicles and continued with their lives.

Michael Rosenfield, a court-appointed attorney representing the 13-year-old, pleaded not guilty to the charges on his behalf.

The attorney informed the judge that the boy had been on probation for an unrelated matter since December and had been complying with the requirements effectively. Rosenfield proposed that there might be supervision conditions that would enable the teen’s release from custody.

Judge Catherine Begaye disagreed, concluding that the young boy poses a danger to others.

The Associated Press generally does not disclose the identities of individuals under 18 who are accused of crimes.

As for the now 16-year-old, authorities earlier this week encouraged him to surrender. Detectives conducted surveillance and apprehended him without incident on Wednesday, as reported by Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesperson for the Albuquerque Police Department.

A similar incident involving teenage boys, who allegedly recorded themselves deliberately running over a bicyclist who subsequently died, occurred in Las Vegas in 2023. One of those teens was deemed unfit to stand trial.

By Susan Montoya Bryan