MDC corrections officer killed in car crash

BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. — A Metropolitan Detention Center corrections officer died in a car crash this week, Bernalillo County reported Friday.

The single-car crash happened Wednesday night on Shelley Drive S.W., near the I-40 Frontage Road, just a mile from MDC. A crash report showed the car veered off of the road for some reason and crashed into a telephone pole.

The crash claimed the life of Officer Raquel Sachs. She was only 19 years old.

Sachs graduated Sept. 6 with the 252nd MDC cadet class. She began serving as an officer around two weeks later.

“The Bernalillo County community, including county commissioners, officers, staff at the Metropolitan Detention Center and the warden’s office, extend their heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Officer Raquel Sachs,” said Shirley Ragin, the interim Bernalillo County manager. “Our thoughts and prayers are also with the MDC Cadet Class 252 officers, who are mourning this tragic loss.”

Warden Kai Smith added Sachs had already made an impact on the staff and her fellow officers in a short time. The warden said, “MDC has lost more than a dedicated officer – it has lost a member of its family.”

The county is offering counseling services to impacted employees. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash.