(NM) Off-duty police officer charged in double-fatal crash on I-25

[left-of-center2012]

The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office reported the death of two individuals following a wrong-way head-on collision on I-25 early Saturday morning. Officials say the crash happened around 2:00 a.m. on southbound I-25, just north of Tramway.

When BCSO deputies arrived on the scene, they found a black Ford F-150 pickup and a black GMC Yukon that had been in an accident. The GMC had rolled over onto its driver’s side. A witness at the scene of the crash told deputies the pickup was driving northbound in the southbound lanes of I-25 with its headlights off and struck the GMC head-on.

The driver of the F-150 has been identified as 29-year-old Brandon Roybal Barber. Cuba Police Chief Manuel Romero has confirmed with KRQE Barber is a probationary police officer with Cuba police. The complaint states Barber was found by deputies walking around the scene disoriented. DWI deputies believed Barber to be impaired. Deputies found a half-full bottle of alcohol in Barber’s truck.

Barber has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, aggravated DWI, and possession of an open container. BCSO shut down all lanes of traffic following the accident but has since reopened traffic. Barber has been put on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

(So the drunk off-duty cop lives, and the innocent victims die)



https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/wrong-way-driver-in-fatal-i-25-was-off-duty-police-officer/

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Rulez sez you gotta investigate before firing, but should be a short investigation.

[Hoyt]

2. Very sad for everyone, mostly family. I'm sure he's in for serious punishment, but

won’t bring back those who departed horribly.

[pidge]

3. Being a cop has nothing to do with this....he was drunk.

[Make7]

4. I expect cops to exhibit enough judgement to not commit crimes resulting in negligent homicide.

"To serve and protect."

YMMV

[pidge]

5. He was off duty.....he's just a drunk and no worse than

a drunken lawyer or politician or homemaker.




.

[Make7]

6. Many police departments have codes of conduct — for on-duty and off-duty.

Not sure what this particular jurisdiction has implemented, but here is a generic example from the International Association of Chiefs of Police:

Unbecoming conduct – Officers shall not conduct themselves in a manner, on or off duty, that:

a. Casts doubt on their integrity, honesty, moral judgment, or character;
b. Brings discredit to this agency; or
c. Impairs the agency’s efficient and effective operation.

https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/2020-06/Standards%20of%20Conduct%20June%202020.pdf#page=4

You may not think killing people while driving under the influence shows a lack of moral judgement or character, but I believe (especially for someone that chose to enforce the law as their career) negligent homicide indicates a failure of judgement.