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Ernest Begay

Age : 46

Gender : Male

Race : Native American

Date : 04/14/2026

Location : Broadway between North Butler Avenue and North Scott Avenue

City : Farmington

County : San Juan

State : New Mexico

Agency : Farmington Police Department

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police vehicle crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 04/15/2026 at approximately 12:15 a.m., Farmington Police Department officers responded to East Main Street after receiving reports of a person lying in the roadway. Two marked Farmington police patrol vehicles responded to the call from different directions. As the officers approached the area near Lake Street, one patrol vehicle struck a man who was lying in the travel lane. Moments later, a second responding Farmington police vehicle also struck the same man before either officer realized a person was in the roadway.
The man suffered catastrophic injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators later identified him as Ernest Begay, 46. The circumstances that led to Begay being in the roadway before officers arrived were not publicly explained in the initial investigation.
The New Mexico State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit responded to conduct the independent investigation. Investigators documented the scene, examined both Farmington police vehicles, collected physical evidence, reviewed in-car camera recordings and other available evidence, and interviewed the involved officers and witnesses. East Main Street remained closed for several hours while the investigation was completed.
Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe stated that the department was cooperating fully with the New Mexico State Police investigation. The involved officers were placed on standard administrative leave pending completion of the investigation. The department also initiated an internal administrative review in accordance with agency policy governing fatal crashes involving department personnel.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.kob.com/news/top-news/man-dead-in-crash-involving-2-farmington-police-vehicles/
https://www.abqjournal.com/news/one-dead-after-crash-involving-farmington-police/3021889
https://www.tricityrecordnm.com/articles/one-person-dead-after-police-involved-crash/