Family searches for answers in fatal hit-and-run
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A New Mexico family is hoping you’ll hear their pleas as they search for the person who killed their loved one.
Isaac Herrera was 15 years old for less than an hour when a driver hit him and drove off.
They now know what type of car the suspect might’ve been driving when they hit Isaac on Avenida Bernalillo – but they’re frustrated. They feel like Bernalillo police haven’t done enough.
“There had been nothing about this whole situation, and I was furious,” said Renee Gallegos, Isaac Herrera’s aunt. “I don’t want to mess up any investigation, but this is taking too long. We need to get this out there.”
Renee and her family feel devastated and frustrated after someone sped off after hitting and killing their loved one on Nov. 29.
“Never thought in the world this guy just went off the road right onto the shoulder and hit him,” said Renee.
Isaac had just turned 15 less than an hour before his death.
“I just remember him saying, ‘Everybody, it’s 12 o’clock, it’s my birthday.’ And he was like, so happy and joyful,” said MaryLynn Herrera, Isaac’s sister. “He never got to live his birthday the way he wanted it to. He lost it in just minutes.”
MaryLynn says they had just been all together, celebrating Thanksgiving. Then, Isaac and their older sister, Libby Garcia, walked MaryLynn down the street to her friend’s house.
As Isaac and Libby walked back, Libby says a red truck came barreling down Avenida Bernalillo and hit Isaac.
“It did cause him to flip and fly several feet in the air. And when he hit, she just remembers seeing, like, a big cloud of smoke go up and the truck. She said, she noticed that the truck didn’t slow down, did nothing,” said MaryLynn.
Isaac landed in a nearby ditch. MaryLynn says her sister ran over to him, calling his name.
“That’s when she went and found him, you know, in the ditch. She is traumatized, because the police did say that the way he looked was very gruesome,” MaryLynn said.
Bernalillo and Albuquerque police released a surveillance photo and an image of what the car could look like; a red Dodge Ram 1500 that’s possibly a model from 2019 to 2024.
Renee says the new information gives her some hope, but both of them are asking the driver to come forward.
“I know you’re probably scared, whether you were drinking, you know, whatever the reason was that you didn’t stop. Please have a heart,” said Renee.
“He took a half of me that nobody can ever replace. You know, me and my brother we were like, practically like twins, if we could be,” said MaryLynn.
As the investigation continues, Gallegos says she’s leaning on her faith.
“When they took a picture of this, you can see the cross here, just glowing. And for me, and I think, you know, the family we had discussed, it was like saying, ‘I’m home,’ or, you know, ‘I’m OK, I’m in heaven,’” said Renee.
The family told us they never expected this, and they’re having to deal with the financial burden of making funeral arrangements. If you would like to help, click here.
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