ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – On July 27th of last year, police responded to a deadly crash at Lomas and Louisiana. Robert and Bonnie Hartwig had just dropped off their son at the airport and were on their way back home to las cruces.
Police say a GMC truck ran a red light, t-boned their SUV, and carried the vehicle almost half a block, killing them. Gary Fritcke is Bonnie Hartwig’s brother and says he still remembers the night his nephew called.
“All he said, and I remember the words, ‘they’re gone, they’re gone.’ I was in shock. I didn’t know actually what to do,” says Fritcke.
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Fritcke says the worst part of the tragedy is that the truck driver, Omar Martinez, has still not been arrested. Almost 8-months after the crash, a toxicology report revealed Martinez had fentanyl in his system. He was charged with the accident in March, but Martinez is still on the loose.
An APD spokesperson says it’s possible he’s fled the country. Gary Fritcke is Bonnie Hartwig’s brother and says more needs to be done to arrest Martinez. “We kind of want answers. And again, we would like to effect some change here. So that nobody else has to suffer what we’re through,” says Fritcke.
An APD spokesperson says they’re currently working with US Marshalls on finding and apprehending Omar Martinez.
