In Albuquerque, New Mexico, a young boy, now aged 13, faces murder charges following a deliberate hit-and-run incident in May 2024 that resulted in the death of cyclist Scott Dwight Habermehl. At the time of the accident, the boy was only 12 years old and is believed to have been the driver of the vehicle that struck and killed the 63-year-old physicist, who was en route to his job at Sandia National Laboratories.
The incident involved two other boys in the car; one boy had just turned 11, while the other was 15 years old at the time. Both of the older boys have been charged with multiple offenses including open counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death or great bodily harm, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor.
On Wednesday, it was confirmed that the youngest of the group will also face murder charges. His arrest came shortly after the fatal incident, though initially for a different felony charge. A video of the crash, which showed the inside of the car during the incident, was circulated on social media and reported by a school principal after being alerted by a student.
The video evidence, shown during a children’s court hearing, depicted the car speeding up toward the flashing taillight of the bicycle. A voice, presumed to belong to the older teen, is heard saying, “Just bump him, brah.” This footage was presented by Deputy District Attorney Bridget McKenney, who also highlighted the damage to the vehicle post-collision, describing the boys’ behavior as callous. McKenney recounted how the boys drove away, leaving Habermehl dying on the roadside, before switching vehicles and moving on with their lives.
Although a public defender for the accused 13-year-old, Michael Rosenfield, entered a denial of the charges, he argued that the boy had been adhering to probation conditions from an unrelated case. Despite these claims, Judge Catherine Begaye concluded that the child posed a risk to others, thus ruling in favor of his continued custody.
Meanwhile, for the now 16-year-old involved, pressure from authorities increased as they urged him to surrender. After several surveillance operations, law enforcement officials were able to apprehend him without further incident.
This case draws parallels to an earlier incident in Las Vegas, where teenage boys recorded themselves deliberately running over a bicyclist, resulting in the victim’s death. In that instance, one of the teens was deemed unfit for trial, underscoring ongoing concerns about youth involvement in severe crimes.
