Taos County Mourns Sergeant Joseph Apodaca After Fatal Motorcycle Crash During Urgent Reckless Driver Search On State Road 518
Taos County is mourning Sergeant Joseph Apodaca, a longtime law enforcement officer who died after a motorcycle crash late Friday night while helping search for a reckless driver.
The crash happened around 10:25 p.m. along State Road 518 as deputies from the Taos County Sheriff’s Office worked to locate a driver reported to be operating dangerously in the area.
Sergeant Apodaca rode a department-issued motorcycle during the response when a marked sheriff’s pickup truck attempted a left turn into a dirt driveway, and the motorcycle collided with the driver’s side of the truck.
The Office of the Medical Investigator pronounced Sergeant Apodaca dead at 11:44 p.m., and news of the loss spread through the community the following morning.
Apodaca began service in 2014 at the county’s Adult Detention Center, joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2018, and later earned the rank of sergeant through steady dedication.
Officials said memorial service details will be announced later, as family, colleagues, and residents remember a calm leader and devoted public servant.
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