Stoned driver admits killing bicyclist

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The woman who was high on meth and making a drug run when struck and killed a bicyclist entered a guilty plea in court Friday.

Memori Hardwick , 21, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident while under the influence of drugs.

It's a guilty plea that kept family and friends of Matt Trujillo waiting an entire year.

In May 2011 Trujillo was on his way to work at the REI outdoor store when Hardwick ran a red light and struck the cyclist at the intersection of Indian School Road NE and Washington Street.

Hardwick said she was already high on meth and on a drug run when she dropped a lit cigarette and took her eyes off the road. That's when she hit Trujillo.

However, instead of stopping and helping the injured cyclist she took off.

Trujillo was in a coma for two weeks before he died.

On Friday, Hardwick agreed to plead guilty to the charges involving Trujillo's death. In exchange, two misdemeanor charges, one from another case, were dismissed.

After the guilty plea, Jennifer Buntz, a friend of Trujillo and his family stopped by the ghost bike placed at the intersection where he was hit. She said this visit to the memorial was different because of the new developments in the case.

"I thought, 'You know, Matt, I hope this is good. I hope that this is what they wanted. I hope you're happy with it. I hope people will find this helpful and healing,'" Buntz said.

Buntz said she hopes the guilty plea will help Trujillo's family find peace.

Hardwick, who had prostitution and drug arrests on her record before the deadly and run, will be sentenced in August.