May 14—An Albuquerque couple is facing charges in connection with a hit-and-run crash that critically injured a motorcyclist in the university area on Sunday.

Anthony Nez, 27, is charged with DWI causing great bodily harm, two counts of child abuse, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in great bodily harm, reckless driving, having an open container and two counts of not having a child in a restraint device. His girlfriend, Raquel Blanco, 22, is charged with two counts of child abuse, leaving the scene of an accident and tampering with evidence.

Nez is being represented by the public defender's office, which "will be working to make sure his constitutional rights are protected as the case moves forward," New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender spokesperson Maggie Shepard said.

Around 9 p.m. Sunday, the Albuquerque Police Department responded to a call of an impaired driver involved in a hit-and-run crash at Central and Girard.

When they arrived, they learned a man — later identified as Nez — was speeding through the area in a pickup when he hit a motorcyclist, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. The motorcyclist was taken to a hospital after sustaining "significant blood loss," a broken leg and a crushed pelvis, the complaint states. His condition is unknown.

A police service aide said they spotted the truck involved outside an apartment in the 5300 block of San Mateo, where Nez fell out of the driver's seat and appeared drunk, police said. The truck had blood on it and clothing was stuck in the wheel well, according to the complaint. The aide said they saw Blanco remove alcoholic beverages from the vehicle, police said.

The children, 5 and 6 years old, were found in an apartment with no supervision, the complaint states. The children told police they were left alone for an extended period of time while Nez and Blanco were gone. However, a caller told police they saw the children get out of the vehicle after the crash.

When police arrived, Nez smelled of alcohol and had "thick and slurred" speech, the complaint states.

Prosecutors filed a pretrial motion to keep Nez behind bars, saying the "defendant failed to stop to render aid or remain on site for the investigation as required."