Teen involved in crash will stay in jail
Prosecutors expect to file more charges against Quontez Kuvinka
One of three 18-year-olds accused in a deadly crash during a police chase will stay behind bars pending trial, an Albuquerque judge ruled Thursday.
Quontez Kuvinka is charged with tampering with evidence and conspiracy after a witness said he tried to wipe fingerprints from the inside of a stolen Jeep while police pursued the vehicle early Saturday, according to court documents. Prosecutor Nick McDonnell said the state will seek to indict Kuvinka on more serious charges.
During a cross-city chase, the Jeep slammed into a passenger car, critically wounding both of its passengers, one of whom later died. Five of the Jeep’s six occupants were injured.
Police said Domonic Rougemont stole the Jeep and was driving at the time of the crash. Kuvinka’s attorney, Daniel Snyder, argued that the state was trying to hold his client responsible for Rougemont’s actions.
“He’s 18 years old. He was in what turned out to be a bad situation,” Snyder said. “But that wasn’t because of what he did, that’s because of what Domonic did.”
Snyder said Kuvinka has a job at Walmart and is enrolled in school. He said keeping him incarcerated would increase his chances of recidivism.
But District Judge Christina Argyres said that while she agreed incarceration is horrible, she didn’t feel comfortable releasing Kuvinka.
“I cannot set aside the fact that this act of stupidity (cost) somebody’s life,” she said.
Rougemont is set for a detention hearing today. A hearing for Matthew Nieto, a third teen charged, was reset for Monday.