Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Portales woman charged with homicide by vehicle

Bionca Martinez, 24, of Portales bonded out Thursday night from the Roosevelt County Detention Center after being charged with homicide by vehicle in the death of Laura Fernandez, 35, of Portales Tuesday night.

According to an arrest affidavit completed by Portales police detective sergeant Nikolas Sanchez, Martinez, driving a Nissan Altima, ran a stop sign at the intersection of South Avenue D and West 18th Street in Portales and rammed a Ford Focus being driven by Fernandez about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday.

When police and emergency medical personnel arrived on the scene Fernandez was pronounced dead.

Martinez and her passenger, Haily Galindo, were transported to Roosevelt General Hospital where Sanchez talked to both.

Martinez told Sanchez she had had one drink before driving, a “lemonade alcoholic shooter drink,” about 7 p.m., court records show.

According to the arrest affidavit:

Sanchez asked both women about other drinking as a Four Loko malt beverage container was found in Martinez’s vehicle.

Martinez maintained all she’d had to drink was the previously mentioned “lemonade alcoholic shooter drink.”

Sanchez wrote in his report that Martinez said that she and Galindo had been riding around Portales.

Martinez told Sanchez before the collision she was northbound on SR206 heading toward Portales when she ran the stop sign at D and 18th. She told Sanchez the other car also ran the stop sign for westbound 18th.

Sanchez reported investigators studying the crash scene determined Martinez allegedly approached the intersection at a “high rate of speed.”

According to a news release from Portales police chief Christopher Williams, after Martinez was released from the hospital she was arrested and booked into the Roosevelt County Detention Center on the charges of homicide by vehicle and driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

Martinez’s next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 14.

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