A 13-year-old in Albuquerque, New Mexico, faces murder charges for allegedly intentionally hitting a bicyclist with a stolen car, an incident captured on video. Police have charged the boy, believed to be the driver, along with a 15-year-old, with murder, conspiracy, leaving the scene of an accident causing serious harm or death, and illegal possession of a handgun. An 11-year-old involved is too young for a murder charge, but authorities are considering other possible charges.
The 13-year-old is expected to be placed in juvenile detention, while detectives continue to search for the other boys involved. The victim, 63-year-old Scott Dwight Habermehl, was on his way to work at Sandia National Laboratories when the car veered into the bike lane and struck him.
The incident, recorded from inside the car, was shared on social media. The video reportedly captures a voice, thought to be the 13-year-old's, announcing the intent to hit the cyclist, followed by the car accelerating. Another voice, believed to be the 15-year-old's, encourages the action. The recording includes sounds of impact, described by police as "metal flexing."
The video was brought to police attention by a middle school principal after a student reported it. This case is reminiscent of a similar incident in Las Vegas in 2023, where teenagers allegedly filmed themselves planning to hit a bicyclist, resulting in the cyclist's death.