Taos County Sergeant Joseph Apodaca died after being involved in a crash that resulted in his death in the line of duty Friday night (May 22).
“It is with profound sadness that I am writing to inform you that Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Joseph Apodaca was killed in the line of duty,” Sheriff Miera said in the statement.
The New Mexico State Police (NMSP) investigated the incident and released details about the crash on Saturday (May 23) morning.
According to NMSP investigators, at approximately 10:25 p.m. on Friday night (May 22), deputies were searching for a reckless driver believed to have turned onto a dirt driveway near the 7200 block of State Road 518.
During the response, a Taos County Sheriff’s Office deputy driving a marked police pickup truck initiated a left turn into the driveway. At that time, Apodaca, who was operating his department-issued police motorcycle, collided with the driver’s side of the deputy’s pickup truck, authorities said.
Apodaca sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at 11:44 p.m. by the Office of the Medical Investigator.
On behalf of the Taos County Commission, Commission Chair Miguel Romero also shared condolences following Apodaca’s death.
“On behalf of the Taos County Commission, we extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and fellow deputies of Sergeant Joseph Apodaca,” Romero said. “Sergeant Apodaca made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our community, and his dedication to protecting the people of Taos County will never be forgotten. We stand in support of his loved ones and the entire Sheriff’s Office during this incredibly difficult time, and we ask our community to keep them all in their prayers.”
Miera asked the community to keep Apodaca’s family in their thoughts and prayers.
“Please pray for his family,” he said.
Department of Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Jason R. Bowie issued a statement mourning the loss.
“The New Mexico Department of Public Safety joins the Taos County Sheriff’s Office and communities across our state in mourning the tragic loss of Sergeant Joseph Apodaca,” Bowie said. “Sergeant Apodaca joined the Taos County Sheriff’s Office in 2018 and served his community with courage, dedication, and a deep commitment to protecting others. His death is a painful reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face each day in service to their communities.”
He added, “On behalf of the Department of Public Safety, I extend my deepest condolences to Sergeant Apodaca’s family, his fellow deputies, the Taos County Sheriff’s Office, and all who knew and served alongside him. We stand with the Taos County law enforcement community during this difficult time and ask New Mexicans to keep Sergeant Apodaca’s loved ones in their thoughts and prayers.”
Our publication extends its sincerest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Sergeant Apodaca.
