ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The man convicted of street racing and causing a crash that took the life of a father of six is now back in custody Wednesday. 

Francisco Reyes-Merlos on the run for nearly three years but was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Albuquerque. 

It’s news the victim’s family thought they might never hear. 

“We can finally put this behind us,” said Ann Marie Dehart, Travis’ wife. 

In April 2019, Travis Dehart – a father of six – was teaching his then 15-year-old daughter how to drive on Montgomery near Pennsylvania. 

Dashcam caught the moment police say Reyes-Merlos T-boned their car, slamming it into a pole. Dehart died on impact, his daughter was injured but survived.

Investigators say Reyes-Merlos was going 89 mph. 

“Every day. Sometimes it is like it happened yesterday. There is no running from it,” said Ann Marie,

Witness video from the scene shows the extent of the damage. KOB 4 spoke with Deharts family in 2019. 

“Travis is a funny guy, he’s just a down to earth guys who loves his family, loves his kids,” said Matthew Hall, Dehart’s brother-in-law. 

Reyes-Merlos was sentenced in 2022 to four years in prison for vehicular homicide. As part of a plea deal, the judge let him go with the promise he would turn himself in a month later. He never showed up. 

“It’s been very stressful knowing that he has been out there the whole five years. I’m just relieved he is caught,” said Ann Marie. 

U.S. Marshals confirmed they arrested Reyes-Merlos near Carlisle and Comanche Tuesday afternoon. His case was highlighted by CrimeStoppers just last Thursday. 

“I thought he was in Mexico, honestly,” Ann Marie said. 

Dehart’s wife says one of the hardest parts is missing Travis at various life events, all because someone wanted to street race. 

“It’s really sad. We have to do holidays without him. It’s been hard, and it’s been sad,” said Ann Marie. 

It is still unclear what new charges Reyes-Merlos will be facing now that he is back in custody. 

He will be back in court on Friday.