KSFR: Passenger to face same homicide charges as hit-and-run driver (2009-11-16)

-- Nov. 16, 1 p.m. -- A former state police officer who was a passenger in a car that struck and killed a pedestrian in Santa Fe last year will stand trial for vehicular homicide. A judge has ruled that Alfred Lovato should face the same charges as the driver, Carlos Fierro, who was sentenced last week to seven years in prison for vehicular homicide in the same case. At the time, Lovato was an off-duty member of Gov. Bill Richardson's security detail.

-- 7 a.m. -- Gov. Richardson's special budget-balancing task force holds it first meeting today on the campus of Santa Fe Community College. He's appointed more than three dozen New Mexicans to go over the state's budget woes and come up with proposals that could be used to fill next year's projected budget deficit. The meeting follows action by the legislature to trim hundreds of millions of dollars in state spending for the current year. The task force is comprised of people from business, education, labor and non-profit organizations. They'll meet at the community college from one until five this afternoon.

Funeral arrangements have been announced for 3-time New Mexico Governor Bruce King, who passed away Friday at his ranch in Stanley in southern Santa Fe County. Services are set for 10AM Saturday, November 21st at the high school gymnasium in Moriarty. On Friday, King will lie in state at the Roundhouse from 9AM thru 5PM. The 85 year old King had a state political career that spanned four decades. He served as governor in non-sequential terms beginning in 1970 and again in 1978 and 1990.

Heading into the weekend, attorney Carlos Fierro was sentenced to a seven year prison term for the vehicular homicide, hit and run death of William Tenorio in downtown Santa Fe almost one year ago. Today, Alfred Lovato, the ex-police officer riding as Fierro's passenger at the time of the accident, heads back to court for his preliminary hearing. Continuation of that proceeding which began last month could result in his being charged with vehicular homicide, too. Prosecutors say Lovato should be held culpable because he failed to stop Fierro from driving drunk.

This week sees the start of non-stop daily air service between Santa Fe's municipal airport and Los Angeles International. American Eagle begins one flight each way every day this Thursday. Earlier this year, the airline began daily non-stop runs to Dallas / Ft. Worth. The city of Santa Fe plans a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the inaugural flight beginning at 1:30 Thursday afternoon.

Tomorrow is Election Day for Santa Fe County residents residing outside city limits. The single-issue ballot will ask voters to re-institute a previously sunset-ed quarter cent tax to fund County firefighting services and operations. Absentee voting on the Fire Protection Excise Tax concluded last Friday. Polls will be open tomorrow from 7AM to 7PM. A list of polling places can be found at santafecounty--dot--org.

Weather for Santa Fe...sunny skies return today and promise to stay with us through the week. Today will be on the cool side with highs in the mid 40s. Look for an overnight low in the upper teens. Tuesday through Friday, temperatures rise to the mid 50s.

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