Category: kvia-local-news

Rishi Oza

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A jury awarded $104 million in a wrongful death case against a national trucking company, Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT Services LLC), after one of its drivers crashed and killed El Pasoan Orlando Robles, Tawney, Acosta and Chaparro P.C. said Wednesday.

In a news release, TAC said the crash happened on the I-40 in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma.

Juan Garcia, the truck’s driver and company trainer, reportedly fell asleep while driving, drifted off the road and crashed into a box truck with its emergency lights flashing on the shoulder, TAC said. This proves to be what occured in a newly released video obtained by ABC 7.

The crash destroyed the sleeper compartment where and killed Robles while he was sleeping, according to TAC.

TAC said Alejandro Acosta III, one of the attorneys, cross-examined MVT’s national chief safety officer.

According to TAC, the executive said “you don’t need sleep to rest” because company policies didn’t specifically require drivers to sleep before driving a commercial vehicle.

The jury awarded $20 million in compensatory damages and $7.5 million in punitive damages to Robles’ son, TAC said.

“The verdict recognizes this tragedy should never have happened,” said Acosta, the attorney for Orlando’s son. “Professional truck drivers and trucking companies have a responsibility to keep fatigued drivers off the road. When that responsibility is ignored, families pay the price. While no verdict can bring back Orlando, today’s decision holds those responsible accountable.”

TAC represented Robles’ son, who was 7 years old when his father died. They intervened in the case on behalf through his mother. Other family members, including Robles’ wife, his estate, mother and daughters were represented separately.

This week will mark Robles’ son’s 13th birthday, according to TAC.

ABC-7 reached out to the lead attorney for comment.

A news conference with Glasheen, Valles and Inderman Injury Lawyers, which represented Robles’ spouse, will take place Thursday.

ABC-7 reached out to Mesilla Valley Transportation Wednesday. It told ABC-7 it has no comment, and will not comment further.

Friday, MVT sent ABC-7 the following statement:

“We want to take a moment to address the recent jury verdict concerning the tragic accident involving two of our drivers. Our hearts continue to go out to the families affected by this tragic accident. This loss has had a profound impact on all of us. While we respect the judicial process, we are evaluating our appellate options.”

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Andrew J. Polk

RUIDOSO, N.M. (KVIA) — It’s been two years since wildfires scorched areas surrounding the Village of Ruidoso high in the Sierra Blanca mountains. Just a year ago this week, heavy rains on those burned areas sent runoff rushing down the Rio Ruidoso — causing deadly flash flooding.

Three people died, including two children.

Flooding also caused tens of millions of dollars in damage.

ABC-7’s Andrew J. Polk went back to some of the hardest-hit areas and talked with community members — including Ruidoso’s mayor — and business owners about their recovery, and what it will take to build up Ruidoso’s resilience.

Tune in Thursday for ABC-7 at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. to hear from those impacted and what they hope happens next for the region.

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Gabrielle Lopez

UPDATE (July 17, 2026): The Office of the Medical Investigator identified the human remains as 74-year-old Henry Padilla, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said Friday.

The investigation into the case is ongoing. The sheriff’s office said it’s working with the medical investigator to identify the circumstances surrounding Padilla’s death.

Anyone with information that could help investigators can contact the sheriff’s office at 575-648-2341 and ask to speak with Detective Bryce Bailey, the sheriff’s office said.

RUIDOSO, N.M. (KVIA) — The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday it responded to a report of human remains found in Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico.

A crew cleaning trees and brush found the remains of what appeared to be a man in the “advanced stage of decomposition,” according to a Facebook post by the sheriff’s office. It happened in a heavily-wooded area near Pine Springs Road.

The remains went to the Office of the Medical Investigator for an autopsy to find the remains’ identity, cause and manner of death.

The sheriff’s office said it took primary jurisdiction of the matter and started investigating after the Ruidoso Downs Police Department asked it to.

Sheriff Michael Wood said anyone with information about the remains should call the sheriff’s office at 575-648-2341 and ask for Detective Bryce Bailey.

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Gabrielle Lopez

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — A Las Cruces teenager received a nine-year federal prison sentence for shooting and paralyzing an 18-year-old victim during a robbery, the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Mexico said Wednesday.

A news release said in February 2022, Matthew James Aguilar and two other people planned to meet the victim to buy marijuana. Aguilar was 16 years old at the time.

During the transaction, Aguilar and the others decided to rob instead of pay the victim. As the victim tried to drive away, Aguilar shot a gun into the passenger side of the victim’s vehicle, officials said.

One of the bullets hit the victim in the back — collapsing his lung and permanently paralyzing him, officials said.

Officials said the victim has quadriplegia, which is paralysis affecting all four limbs of the body and the torso.

After the shooting, Aguilar denied involvement when law enforcement interviewed him, the news release said. Investigators later found social media messages where Aguilar admitted he shot the victim while trying to rob him. He also said he admitted to it during jail calls.

Aguilar was first charged as a juvenile but later agreed to be prosecuted and sentenced as an adult, according to the news release. He pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by threats and violence.

After his prison release, he’ll be subject to three years of supervised release.

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Nina Gallegos

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — The Las Cruces museum system is launching Grief Cafes, which are free community gatherings designed to provide a safe space for individuals to share their emotional experiences.

The gatherings are intended to help participants connect with others and reduce feelings of isolation. The museum system is expanding the program in observance of National Grief Awareness Day in August, according to organizers.

The Grief Cafes are not therapy or counseling sessions, but rather an open environment where people can discuss loss. This includes not only death-related grief but also significant life changes, such as moving, starting a new job or other major transitions that can evoke feelings of grief.

Galen Skibyak, a visitor experience curator for the Las Cruces museum system, described the program as “a space where anybody can kind of come and share their emotional experiences, share their stories, share their feelings with others.”

Skibyak said the cafes are “just kind of a space that’s safe for everybody to kind of come and share whatever they need to.”

The museum system previously offered similar Death Cafes two years ago for Dia de los Muertos. The events were popular and Skibyak says attendees asked for more similar events.

Emilia Linley, museum manager for visitor experience for the Las Cruces museum system, explained the purpose of the cafes.

“We want to make not only the museums a safe space for people, but just kind of Las Cruces, a generally safe and welcoming space for anybody who needs to express their emotions and to help people find other people that are feeling the same way and really make connections with each other,” Linley said.

Linley said the Grief Cafes will be held in a similar format.

“Our grief cafes are going to be held similarly. We will not necessarily have a death doula on site every evening,” Linley said. “But it will just be an open space where people can talk about grief in an environment without judgment, without any form of consulting or counseling or anything of that nature.”

The Grief Cafes begin in July and are scheduled for the third Tuesday of every month. In observance of National Grief Awareness Day, three additional Grief Cafe sessions will be held in August, according to organizers.

“That’s the most important thing about these grief cafes, is for people to leave knowing that they’re not alone,” she said.

Linley distinguished the cafes from professional counseling.

“Counseling is a place where you’re going to be given tools and things to work on in order to help ameliorate the grief in a way that is constructive. But it is not a space where you’re going to receive counseling.”

Linley also offered advice for supporting loved ones experiencing grief.

“Most people don’t want to hear you have to be better by a certain time frame. There is no time limit on grief,” Linley said. “Grief will come and go. It will ebb and flow.”

She suggested treating grieving loved ones like “houseplants,” making sure they get “some water and some sunshine, but otherwise just allowing that space.”

In addition to the Grief Cafes, a Grief and Safety Fair is scheduled at the Railroad Museum on Aug. 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

More information about events and programs is available on the Las Cruces museum system’s Facebook and Instagram pages under “LC museums.”

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Gabrielle Lopez

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — The Las Cruces area can expect near triple-digit temperatures this weekend, and the city opened cooling stations to help those who need a break from the heat.

Through July 11, these locations will have free air conditioning:

Thomas Branigan Memorial Library, 200 E. Picacho Ave.

9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Closed Sunday

Mesilla Valley Intermodal Transit Terminal, 300 W. Lohman Ave.

6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday

Closed Sunday

Meerscheidt Recreation Center, 1600 E. Hadley Ave.

10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday

Closed Sunday

The building is under construction but will have designated cooling areas.

Some Las Cruces senior centers will serve as cooling spaces. These buildings are open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They’re closed Saturday and Sunday.

Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 W. Bell Ave.

Henry R. Benavidez Community Center, 1045 McClure Rd.

Munson Center, 975 S. Mesquite St.

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Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector is warning rideshare drivers about the significant legal and physical dangers associated with human smuggling risks.

Border Patrol said transnational criminal organizations are manipulating legitimate mobile applications to facilitate their smuggling operations, posing threats to drivers who unknowingly participate.

Criminal smugglers use these apps and frequently arrange pickups via third-party accounts, according to a Border Patrol press release.

Officials said these pickups occur in secluded desert locations, remote highway shoulders near the border wall, or commercial staging lots; the tactic allows smugglers to insulate themselves from law enforcement.

Border Patrol also urges rideshare drivers to identify several indicators of smuggling activity, which include:

Passengers wearing heavily soiled clothing or groups attempting to exceed vehicle occupant limits.

Other signs are third-party bookings where the account holder is not present, or passengers who appear visually stressed and unaware of their current location.

Drivers who accept these suspicious fares face immediate detention and investigation at highway checkpoints.

Under federal law, individuals found to be participating in these networks may face felony charges for alien smuggling and harboring.

“Cartel criminal smugglers recklessly endanger the lives of rideshare drivers and passengers alike, treating legitimate drivers as disposable tools for their smuggling operations,” said El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Jesse D. Munoz. “When these trips are intercepted, drivers face immediate detention and asset forfeiture while federal agents investigate their level of involvement in the smuggling network.”

U.S. Border Patrol also advised drivers who encounter suspicious pickup requests to prioritize their safety. Drivers should immediately cancel the ride and relocate to a secure area.

They are also encouraged to use in-app security functions to document their routes and report concerns to the platform.

Suspicious activity or suspected human smuggling should be reported immediately to official law enforcement hotlines.

For emergencies, individuals should dial 911. Citizens and drivers can report suspicious activity anonymously to the U.S. Border Patrol by calling 1-800-635-2509.

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Paul Schulz

UPDATE (July 9, 2026) — A social media post reportedly helped police identify 21-year-old Abraham Sosa Castro as a suspect in a deadly hit-and-run crash on the Loop 275 near Pellicano, according to arrest documents.

Documents said Castro’s car flipped onto its roof after crashing into Manuel Oliva Contreras June 19 just before midnight. Contreras later died to his injuries.

Pictures of the crash showed a beer can wedged between Castro’s windshield and dashboard on the driver’s side, according to documents.

Before Castro allegedly left the crash by foot, witnesses took photos of him, police said. The photos circulated online, particularly through the Instagram page FitFam El Paso.

Photos posted on FitFam after the crash(Courtesy: @therealfitfamelpaso)

One witness told police Castro allegedly appeared drunk in how he smelled, documents said. The witness took pictures of Castro and said he wore a green Mexico jersey with jeans. After posting the picture, the witness received information about Castro, including a picture of his car and Facebook profile with his full name.

Another witness told police Castro allegedly said, “Help me get my beer” and tried to get a cooler out of his car, documents said.

Someone called 911 to report their friend gave Castro a ride without knowing about the hit-and-run, documents said. The reporter recognized Castro on FitFam’s post because he wore the same clothes — a green Mexico soccer jersey and jeans — before leaving the friend’s house, police said.

Police met with the an unnamed “Involved Other” who reportedly drove Castro away from the crash site for questioning. Documents said the involved other was with her friend at a Circle K gas station when Castro allegedly told them he didn’t know where he was and needed a ride.

The involved other decided to give Castro a ride home. She and Castro were dropped off by the involved other’s friend at an apartment complex where she had her car parked, documents said.

From there, Castro allegedly asked her to take him to a nightclub in Lower Valley El Paso to find his friends, documents said. Castro couldn’t find his friends at the club.

The involved other told Castro she needed to go home and said she would drive Castro to his home in Fabens the next morning, documents said.

At the involved other’s home, her friend she was with earlier sent her the FitFam post about the crash with pictures reportedly showing Castro, documents said.

The involved other confronted Castro about the crash, and he allegedly left her home and ran across the street to ask her neighbor for a ride, police said. When he didn’t get a ride, he allegedly left toward the desert area, documents said.

The involved other said Castro told her his full name, police said.

Later, police obtained surveillance video from the Circle K Castro reportedly met the involved other and her friend at. Documents said video showed Castro get into an SUV and leave the gas station.

Police also found an old booking photo of Castro as the registered owner of his car. Documents said the photo matched the description witnesses gave police about how Castro looked.

UPDATE (July 8, 2026) — Tuesday, El Paso Police Department arrested and charged 21-year-old Abraham Sosa Castro for a crash that killed 76-year-old Manuel Oliva Contreras.

Police said Castro allegedly drove at a “high rate of speed” and read-ended Contreras on Loop 375 South. Castro reportedly left the crash site by foot, according to a police report.

Police booked him into the El Paso County Detention Facility on a $500,000 bond.

(Courtesy: EPPD)

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – A 76-year-old El Paso man died following a hit-and-run crash on Loop 375 South near Pellicano, according to the El Paso Police Department.

Police said officers responded to the crash at about 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18 on Loop 375 South near Pellicano and found two vehicles at the scene.

Investigators said the driver of one vehicle fled before officers arrived.

The other vehicle involved was a 2019 Nissan Sentra driven by Manuel Oliva Contreras of East El Paso. Contreras was transported to a local hospital after the crash. Police initially believed his injuries were not life-threatening, but later learned he died from those injuries.

The investigation was turned over to the Special Traffic Investigations unit.

According to preliminary findings, a dark colored vehicle was traveling southbound on Loop 375 at a high rate of speed when it rear-ended the Nissan Sentra, which was also traveling southbound. Investigators said the driver of the dark colored vehicle then fled the scene on foot.

Police have not identified the driver of the fleeing vehicle.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about the crash or the driver involved to contact police at 915-832-4400. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477.

The crash marks the city’s 22nd traffic fatality of 2026. At the same point last year, El Paso had recorded 29 traffic fatalities.

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Gabrielle Lopez

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — A Las Cruces man faces federal child exploitation charges after investigators found a phone with evidence, according to the Justice Department. Investigators found the phone while they were investigating an alleged bounty hunter for human trafficking.

The DOJ said federal agents used a search warrant at a Las Cruces home to investigate Robert Jay Hernandez in May.

Robert Jay Hernandez faces federal charges after the DOJ said he allegedly bonded people out of jail and exploited them with forced labor, sexual acts and other services by threatening them. He reportedly worked for a bail bond company in Las Cruces.

The FBI took away several electronics, including a cellphone belonging to his 37-year-old son, Matthew Esai Hernandez.

Investigators found evidence that Matthew Hernandez engaged in sexually-explicit interactions with people who presented themselves as minors and had child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Hernandez allegedly used messaging apps like Telegram and Kik Messenger to get CSAM, according to the DOJ. In several conversations, he allegedly knew the minor’s age and still requested pictures and sexual messages, according to a news release.

He faces a charge for attempted coercion and enticement of minors and receipt and possession of child pornography, according to the DOJ. His trial hasn’t been scheduled yet.

If convicted, Hernandez faces a minimum punishment of 25 years and up to life in prison.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday announced it executed “Operation Slow Down” to reduce dangerous driving on Transmountain Road.

EPCSO said the operation lasted six days and involved highly-visible law enforcement presence.

Within six days, deputies did 292 traffic stops. On average, deputies did 48 traffic stops and gave 44 citations a day, according to the sheriff’s office.

At the end of the operation, the sheriff’s office issued 265 citations and warnings:

204 speeding citations

27 citations for no insurance

16 driver’s license violation citations

12 registration violation citations

2 citations for failing to exit a lane for an emergency vehicle

1 citation for an unrestrained child

2 possession of THC/marijuana reports

2 traffic warrant referrals to Justice of the Peace Precinct 7

77 written warnings

“Our goal is not to issue citations, it’s to save lives,” Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said in a statement. “When drivers see deputies out enforcing traffic laws, they’re reminded to slow down and make safer choices behind the wheel.”

Additionally, EPCSO didn’t report any crashes in the area during the six-day period.

ABC-7 spoke to Emmanuel Soria, the Chief Deputy with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. Soria said the main goal of the operation is to target speeders. The office received complaints about reckless drivers on Transmountain and wanted to target them.

“The whole concept is presence,” said Soria. “It’s unfortunate that we have to have six patrol cars lined up on Transmountain in order for people to see that.”

Soria says they will hear complaints from residents about speeders and reckless drivers on state and county roads and try to have a presence there.

“Our conclusion based on this operation is that it’s evident when patrol cars are visibile, peole will tend to abide by the speed limit,” said Soria. “But we don’t want it just to happen only because we’re there. We would like the community to help us patrol themselves.”

ABC-7 will have a full story on Operation Slow Down tonight on ABC-7 at 10.

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