Pediatric Nurse Killed in Hit-and-Run Outside UNM Hospital, Driver Released

The University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) community is mourning the loss of Alec Montoya, a 28-year-old pediatric emergency room nurse, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash near the hospital on October 9, 2025.

According to Albuquerque police, the incident occurred around 6:49 p.m. near the intersection of Stanford Drive and Lomas Boulevard, just steps from the hospital where Montoya worked. Investigators say he was crossing the street when he was struck by a vehicle driven by Brian Boyce.

Boyce was later arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a fatal crash, after police said he was initially transported to the hospital but walked away before officers could question him.

In a controversial decision, a judge released Boyce on his own recognizance, sparking widespread outrage and grief among healthcare workers and members of the Albuquerque community.

Montoya had served as a pediatric ER nurse at UNMH for nearly three years, where colleagues described him as compassionate, skilled, and deeply dedicated to his young patients.

Tributes have poured in across social media and hospital networks, remembering him as a “bright light in the toughest moments.”

Hospital staff and community members have held vigils and are calling for stronger accountability laws for hit-and-run offenders.

The case remains under investigation by the Albuquerque Police Department’s Traffic Unit.