A Monroe County man wanted for aggravated vehicular homicide was found and arrested by New Mexico authorities on Jan. 9.

Eric Pedersen, 41, of Tellico Plains, had been on the run since May 20, 2009. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Pedersen and Angela Nichols, 36, Madisonville were driving down Lick Creek when he lost control of his truck, hit an embankment and slammed into a tree around 9:15 p.m.

Nichols was pronounced dead on the scene. Pedersen was injured in the wreck and managed to leave town before charges were filed against him.
According to the Albuquerque Police Department, a THP trooper investigating the case learned recently that Pedersen was hiding out in the southwest town.

On Jan. 9, officers surrounded an apartment in the 100 block of Placitas Road NW, in the city's North Valley section. An officer knocked on the door of a unit and Pedersen answered, at which point he was immediately surrounded and taken into custody.
Albuquerque police said they were unsure how long Pedersen had been in the city, but when he was booked he apparently told them he had a girlfriend there.

Pedersen remained locked up in the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on Monday night on a fugitive warrant for aggravated vehicular homicide.
It is not yet known when Pederson will be brought back to Tennessee.