ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Thirty-two people have died in car crashes in Albuquerque this year, and Roxann Kelly said she is fortunate not to be among them.
Kelly is recovering from injuries suffered in a DWI crash Thursday on Coors Boulevard after police say a drunk driver crossed the median and slammed into her vehicle.
She was running errands when, according to police, a drunk driver changed her life forever.
“I was in a car accident, and I felt the brunt of that go into my foot because I’m holding down the brake,” Kelly said. “I have a broken foot, five broken bones, and many lacerations and bruises elsewhere. I’m sore and I’m tired, and I was hit by a drunk driver.”
Kelly said she will need surgery before she can walk normally again. Her vehicle was totaled in the crash, and she has lost time at work while recovering.
Despite the injuries, she said she is thankful to have survived.
“God protected me. God, shower of angels all around me,” Kelly said.
Police identified the driver as 56-year-old Carlos Gonzalez-Daniel. Investigators say he fled the scene, leaving behind a passenger who was critically injured.
“A coward, he couldn’t even take responsibility and just sit in the truck,” Kelly said.
New Mexico consistently records one of the nation’s highest traffic fatality rates, and drunk driving accounts for a significant share of those deaths.
Kelly said she hopes others will learn from what happened to her. Asked what she would say to anyone considering driving after drinking, Kelly’s response was direct:
“Do not drink and drive. Do not drink and drive.”
Kelly spent the night in the hospital following the crash. She said that while medical staff were treating her injuries, the man police say caused the crash was placed nearby.
KOB obtained photos confirming his identity.
“I should have been in a private room, protected from this guy. But no, I spent the night in the hallway,” Kelly said.
Kelly faces multiple trips to the hospital as she recovers. She said her recovery could take months.
KOB reached out to the Albuquerque Police Department for an update on the passenger who remained in critical condition but had not received a response as of publication.
Police charged Gonzalez-Daniel with DWI resulting in great bodily harm and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in great bodily harm.
