Kirtland airman convicted in 2019 crash that killed woman

ALBUQUERQUE, NM. — A U.S. Air Force court-martial panel has convicted a Kirtland Air Force Base airman on charges stemming from a 2019 crash that killed an Albuquerque woman.

Airman Calvin Cooper, 22, faced sentencing Wednesday after being convicted Tuesday of involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide in the death of Angelica Baca, 39.

James Dallas Wicker, a brother of Baca, said Cooper’s conviction doesn’t bring his sister back but was “the start of a long healing process,” the Albuquerque Journal reported.

A prosecutor, Capt. Andrew Trejo, said Baca was struck in a street median by Cooper’s car as he drove 60 mph (97 kph) in a 35 mph (56 kph) zone.

Capt. Victoria Clark, one of Cooper’s defense attorneys, said Baca was negligent by not using a crosswalk to cross a busy street.

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