Deming, New Mexico – According to New Mexico State Police, an Automatic License Plate Recognition technology assisted law enforcement in locating an individual who allegedly hit and killed a bicyclist in Deming on November 23.
Police say the incident occurred on State Road 11 around milepost 8. A passing car observed trash and a bicycle in the dirt off the shoulder of the road and pulled over to investigate. They contacted 911 after discovering a guy, later identified as 69-year-old Kevin O’Leary, dead near his bicycle.
Police issued an alert to seek a red vehicle with possible front-end damage. Border Patrol and Customs alerted NMSP that a car matching that description had entered Mexico soon after the crash at the Columbus Port of Entry.
The driver of the red Cadillac automobile was identified as 33-year-old Noel Ronquillo Jr., who was arrested without incident in Deming on November 25, according to authorities. He faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and knowingly fleeing the scene of an accident.
“ALPR technology has been widely praised for improving law enforcement’s ability to track and capture criminals,” New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler stated in a news release. “This technique quickly identified a car involved in a homicide, resulting in an arrest. If not for this technology, this case would not have been resolved as quickly, and a dangerous offender would still be on the streets.”
