Santa Fe man charged with vehicular homicide

A man from Santa Fe is facing a serious charge after a deadly car crash in January. The crash killed 77-year-old Robert "Mo" Morehead. Police say Edgar Madrigal-Lopez, 24, was driving his truck at about 90 mph when he hit Morehead's car on Airport Road. On Friday, police filed a homicide by vehicle charge against Madrigal-Lopez. An arrest warrant was issued, but as of Monday night, he had not been booked at the county jail. The police did not respond to inquiries about the warrant. The crash happened around noon on January 24. Morehead was turning left onto Airport Road in his Audi when Madrigal-Lopez's Ford F-150 collided with him. Morehead was taken to the hospital but died shortly after. Madrigal-Lopez also had injuries but they were not life-threatening. Initially, Madrigal-Lopez told police he was driving 45 to 50 mph. However, investigators later found he was actually going much faster, based on surveillance video and crash data. The speed limit on that part of Airport Road is 40 mph. Witnesses also reported seeing Madrigal-Lopez driving fast. A police crash investigator concluded that if Madrigal-Lopez had been obeying the speed limit, the crash might not have happened, and Morehead could have made his turn safely. Morehead was known in the community as a former journalist and a dedicated member of local groups that promote safe driving. His death has raised concerns about speeding and reckless driving in Santa Fe, especially on busy roads like Airport and Cerrillos. In the days following the charges against Madrigal-Lopez, another pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Cerrillos Road, highlighting ongoing safety issues in the area.