Woman Sues New Mexico Sheriff After Crash Over DWI Claim

December 11, 2012

A woman injured in a crash is suing a northern New Mexico sheriff over claims he failed to hold a drunken driver accountable in her accident.

The Las Vegas Optic reports that 28-year-old Mora County Josephine Torres in a recent lawsuit claims that Mora County Sheriff Thomas Garza let an intoxicated driver who injured her off the hook.

The suit says Torres was injured on NM 518 in May when a truck swerved into her lane and collided with her vehicle head on. The lawsuit says a deputy determined that the driver might be highly intoxicated, but the deputy allowed the driver to go free at Garza’s command.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory damages.

Garza didn’t immediately respond to an email from the Associated Press.