Charges Undecided in Viral Albuquerque Road Rage Crash Case
- The 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office is weighing potential charges against a 68-year-old man involved in a viral road rage incident in Northeast Albuquerque.
- According to an Albuquerque Police Department report, the confrontation began when the 68-year-old man was driving on Wyoming NE approaching Constitution.
- The man told police that the look in the female's eyes made him fearful, and she got out of her vehicle at a red light to hit his...
The 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office is weighing potential charges against a 68-year-old man involved in a viral road rage incident in Northeast Albuquerque. The case stems from an August 19 event that drew over 34 million social media views after capturing a physical confrontation and a subsequent crash.
Viral Northeast Albuquerque Road Rage Incident Under Review
Confrontation at the Red Light and Baseball Bat Strikes
According to an Albuquerque Police Department report, the confrontation began when the 68-year-old man was driving on Wyoming NE approaching Constitution. The man told police he noticed an SUV tailgating him and braked to get the driver to back off. The SUV driver, identified as 31-year-old Jenipher Lewis, then cut him off, yelled that she was going to kill him, and both drivers cursed at each other.
The man told police that the look in the female’s eyes made him fearful, and she got out of her vehicle at a red light to hit his truck with a baseball bat.
The Rear-End Collision and Decision to Leave the Scene
When Lewis drove away, the man followed her in his truck. He told police he accelerated to get her license plate number when she hit the brakes, causing him to rear-end her SUV because he did not have enough time to react.
Having completed defensive driving courses, the man explained he wanted to clear the red SUV out of active traffic lanes after noticing they were stopped right in the middle of the road. He added that he did not call 911 because he wanted to ensure he was represented by an attorney, and he left the scene because he was fearful of Lewis.
Police Recommendations and District Attorney Review
Detectives handed the case to the District Attorney’s Office for possible charges against the man. APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos confirmed the referral, while Nancy Laflin, a spokesperson for the DA’s office, stated the case is under review.
Within the police paperwork, a detective suggested that authorities pursue counts of child abuse, criminal damage, aggravated assault, and fleeing the scene of an accident against the individual.
Jenipher Lewis Detention Appeal and Court Proceedings
The other driver, Jenipher Lewis, has remained in jail at the Metropolitan Detention Center since a judge granted a pretrial detention motion following the crash. Police reported that Lewis’s two children, ages 4 and 8, were inside the SUV at the time of the collision. Lewis faces two counts of child abuse, aggravated assault, reckless driving, and driving with a suspended license.
Attorneys for Lewis appealed her pretrial detention, arguing the decision lacked sufficient evidence. The state Court of Appeals granted the appeal. Citing uncertainty over whether the lower court conducted an appropriate evaluation and properly weighed every factor concerning release conditions, the appellate panel remanded the litigation back to the district court for additional proceedings.
Witness Statements and Ongoing Silence From Parties
The investigation also included statements from the witness who recorded the viral video and posted it to Facebook. That individual told detectives he did not want to participate in any court hearings, but stated that the elderly male was brake-checking the red SUV and believed that was what started the altercation.
The 68-year-old man’s attorney could not be reached for comment, and the other driver declined to comment when reached by phone.