McKinley County- On January 19, 2021, the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau and Crash Reconstruction Unit were called to investigate a double fatal pedestrian hit and run crash on Interstate 40 eastbound, west of Gallup, NM.
Agents learned that at approximately 9:30 p.m., the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) received a call of a female walking eastbound on Interstate 40, near milepost 15 west of Gallup, NM.
A short time later, a New Mexico State Police Officer who was travelling east on Interstate 40 near mile marker 15 observed a large object, a shoe, and what appeared to be debris from a vehicle in the left lane of Interstate 40 and the median. At that time, a MCSO deputy arrived on scene. As the deputy and officer got closer to the object, they identified the object as a car seat with a deceased infant in it. The officer and deputy also located a deceased female in the median.
The female, who was later identified as Jessica Ann Copey (24) of Tohlakai, NM and the infant were both pronounced deceased on scene by the Office of Medical Investigator.
During the processing of the scene agents learned Copey was carrying an infant in a car seat and walking in the left lane of Interstate 40, when the two were struck by a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) traveling east. The driver of CMV did not stop and left the scene. An attempt to locate was broadcast to all state and local law enforcement agencies.
On January 20, 2021, a MCSO deputy located a CMV with heavy front-end damage parked at the Flying J’s truck stop off Interstate 40, exit 39 in Jamestown, NM. State Police agents identified the driver of the CMV as Jagjeet Singh (24) of Indiana was taken into custody and arrested without incident. Singh was transported and booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center in Gallup, NM.
Upon a search of the suspect’s CMV, NMSP Crime Scene agents discovered 34.8 grams of heroin and 5.6 grams of methamphetamine. Agents also discovered drug paraphernalia. Singh was charged with two felony counts of Leaving the Scene of an Accident resulting in Great Bodily Injury or Death, one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance (heroin), one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) and one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the crash. For the privacy of the family, the identity of the child will not be released by State Police. This crash remains under investigation by the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau.
