Mora County, NM (KKOB) – A judge in Mora County has rejected a plea deal for a man accused in a deadly street racing crash. Investigators say in 2022, 22-year old Jesse Blanco and two others were racing through neighborhoods in Wagon Mound when data shows Blanco reached speeds of 123 miles per hour before crashing into another vehicle that was backing out of a driveway. 42-year old Irene Romero, 9-year-old Daniela Lopez, and 4-year-old Annalise Romero were killed. A breathalyzer test revealed that Blanco’s blood alcohol level was about twice the legal limit.
Prosecutors offered a plea deal with a maximum sentence of 15 years, but Judge Flora Gallegos declined, calling it too lenient. Blanco is now scheduled to go to trial in August.
