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Alfredo Escaname-Hernandez

Age : 50

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 05/01/2021

Location : I-25 and Roy Avenue

City : Albuquerque

County : Bernalillo

State : New Mexico

Agency : Cuba Police Department

Officer(s) :Officer Brandon Roybal Barber

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by off-duty police officer driving drunk

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

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REASON FOR POLICE DRIVING: Off duty — drunk driving
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NARRATIVE:
On 05/01/2021 at approximately 2:00 a.m., Alfredo Escaname-Hernandez, 50, was traveling south on Interstate 25 with Diego Arellano Robles, 21, and Diego's brother Fernando Arellano, 21. The three Denver residents were driving to Juárez, Mexico, to visit family. Alfredo was making the trip in part to help relatives build a house.
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Off-duty Cuba Police Department Officer Brandon Barber, 29, was driving a Ford F-150 north in the southbound lanes of I-25 when he crashed head-on into their GMC Yukon near Tramway Boulevard. Alfredo and Diego died at the scene. Fernando survived with serious injuries, including a brain bleed; prosecutors later said his injuries would affect him for the rest of his life.
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Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies reported that Barber smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot and watery eyes, and had a half-consumed bottle of liquor in his truck. He was arrested and initially charged with vehicular homicide, aggravated DWI and an open-container violation.
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Alfredo's family publicly demanded stronger consequences after a judge released Barber before trial under supervision, prohibited him from driving and required alcohol monitoring. Alfredo's son Federico called the decision insulting, saying his father could not come home to his family while Barber was allowed to return to his parents. Family members described Alfredo as a man of many trades who was widely regarded as a father figure.
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The Cuba Police Department initially placed Barber on administrative leave and subsequently fired him. Barber was also a captain in the New Mexico National Guard, which said he was subject to military disciplinary action.
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Barber pleaded guilty in December 2022 to two counts of DWI homicide, one count of DWI great bodily harm by vehicle and driving with an open container. On 03/15/2023, Judge Stanley Whitaker sentenced him to 26 years and 90 days in prison followed by five years of probation.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Brandon Barber had a prior DWI arrest and conviction from 2016. He pleaded guilty and completed New Mexico's First Offender Program, which included supervised probation, an ignition interlock, random alcohol and drug testing and community service. Despite that prior DWI, Barber subsequently became a Cuba police officer. He was still a probationary officer when he killed Alfredo and Diego and was terminated after the crash.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/former-police-officer-pleads-guilty-to-drunk-driving-crash-on-i-25/
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/brandon-barber-drunk-driving-crash-new-mexico-denver/
https://www.kob.com/archive/off-duty-cuba-police-officer-charged-in-double-fatal-crash-on-i-25/
https://www.kob.com/archive/off-duty-cuba-officer-charged-in-alleged-dwi-crash-to-remain-free-before-trial/
https://www.koat.com/article/body-cam-video-shows-horrific-wrong-way-crash/36745930
https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/former-cuba-police-officer-pleads-guilty-to-deadly-2021-crash/
https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/former-cuba-police-officer-gets-26-years-for-deadly-2021-crash/
https://da2nd.nm.gov/category/press-release/page/15/