Teen in Hit-and-Run Recording: 'Just Bump Him, Brah'

Cops say driver, 13, killed 63-year-old man in NM, with other young passengers egging him on
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 18, 2025 8:38 AM CDT
Teen in Hit-and-Run Recording: 'Just Bump Him, Brah'
An Albuquerque Police Department station is seen on Feb. 2, 2024, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.   (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)

A 13-year-old boy has been charged with murder in a fatal hit-and-run of a bicyclist in Albuquerque that was captured on video from inside the boy's stolen car, law enforcement said Monday. The teenager, who's believed to have been the driver, and a 15-year-old have been charged with an open count of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, leaving the scene of an accident involving great bodily harm or death, and unlawful possession of a handgun by a person, the Albuquerque Police Department said in a statement, per the AP.

An 11-year-old, who police say was also involved, is too young to be charged with murder. "APD detectives are working with the DA's office and [the state's families department] to determine what charges he may face and whether he can be held on those charges," according to the statement. The victim, Scott Dwight Habermehl, 63, was riding to his job at Sandia National Laboratories early in the morning in May 2024 when he was hit by a car after it swerved into the bike lane, according to police. The crash was filmed from inside the car and circulated on social media. In the recording, a voice believed to be the 13-year-old can be heard saying he's about to hit the bicyclist, according to law enforcement.

The car appears to accelerate, and a voice believed to be the 15-year-old says, "Just bump him, brah." The driver asks, "Like, bump him?" A passenger says, "Yeah, just bump him. Go like ... 15 ... 20." Loud sounds can then be heard in the recording, including "metal flexing," according to law enforcement. The video was posted on social media and reported to police. A middle school principal also reported the video to police after a student flagged it. The 13-year-old is expected to be booked into a juvenile detention center; detectives are searching for the 15- and 11-year-olds. The AP doesn't typically name people under 18 accused of a crime. (More hit-and-run stories.)

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