We reported on a near fatal hit-and-run crash involving a motorcycle and a pedestrian on west Central Ave. This morning, the Albuquerque Police Department released an update to the crash. According to APD, an off-duty APD officer was charged this morning with leaving the scene of a critical-injury crash after he hit a pedestrian while operating a large bagger type motorcycle at a high rate of speed. The incident happened on Thursday evening at Central Ave. and Coors Blvd.
Ezekiel Florez, 29, is charged with knowingly leaving the scene of an accident with great bodily harm. Florez graduated from the police academy in February 2024. He was placed on administrative leave while APD conducts an internal investigation.
Witnesses said the pedestrian, an adult homeless male who had not been identified when we reported this, was crossing Central Ave. in the crosswalk when a white motorcycle struck him while it was driving at a high rate of speed. Surveillance video showed the westbound light on Central was green when the motorcycle, which had two riders, collided with the pedestrian who was running south across the intersection.
The preliminary investigation determined that when the crash occurred the motorcycle was traveling at a high rate of speed, above the posted speed limit. The motorcycle after the crash then continued on its merry way westbound on Central Ave.