Man with revoked license charged in fatal DWI-related crash

Deputies say a person whose license was revoked over a earlier DWI fatally struck a person whereas driving intoxicated and fled the scene on Saturday in Nob Hill.

Elizardo Cortez, 38, is charged with DWI-related vehicular murder, knowingly leaving the scene of an accident leading to loss of life and driving with a revoked license within the Dec. 18 crash that killed 83-year-old Gerald Groth. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Middle Sunday morning.

Court docket data present Cortez — who has a prolonged file of drug and stolen property arrests — was booked on costs of vehicular murder in 2004, which had been later dismissed. He later pleaded responsible to aggravated DWI and fleeing a legislation enforcement officer in a separate 2016 case.

Cortez is at present on probation after pleading responsible to stolen gun and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer costs in a 2018 case.

Alaina Marquez, Cortez’ fiancée, informed the Journal he was not drunk or excessive and he didn’t flee the scene within the Dec. 18 incident. She mentioned he pulled off onto a close-by avenue after the crash.

“It was an accident and he’s very traumatized,” Marquez mentioned. “He’s a greater individual (now), if this is able to’ve occurred 4 years in the past, he would’ve ran.”

In keeping with a legal grievance filed in Metropolitan Court docket:

Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies responded round 2 p.m. to a hit-and-run crash at Tulane and Coal SE. Groth was pronounced lifeless on the scene and deputies discovered an SUV with a shattered windshield and dented hood lower than a block away.

Deputies mentioned the motive force, Cortez, smelled of marijuana and refused to undergo a sobriety take a look at however deputies executed a warrant to attract his blood. Cortez informed deputies he didn’t have a license and shouldn’t be driving, earlier than asking for a lawyer.

Cortez’ fiancée, Marquez, confirmed as much as the scene and informed deputies Cortez mentioned he hit somebody who was jaywalking whereas on his approach to choose her up. A witness informed deputies an older man was crossing Coal “in a hurried shuffle” and the SUV didn’t brake earlier than hitting him.

One other witness informed deputies he noticed Cortez activate Amherst and noticed the motive force on the cellphone and a passenger holding a canine. He mentioned he took footage of the motive force, who then yelled at him and started chasing his automobile on foot.