BCSO deputy dies during traffic stop on I-40 near Tijeras

Westbound I-40 is back open following a fatal crash involving a deputy with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.This happened Monday evening east of Albuquerque near mile marker 170 at Carnuel.The sheriff’s office has identified the deputy as Sergeant Michael Schlattman, who died in the line of duty.According to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened around 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, while Sgt. Schlattman was conducting a traffic stop on I-40 westbound. Investigators say after he radioed that he had initiated the stop and exited his patrol unit, a semi-truck struck the rear of his department-issued vehicle, pinning him underneath. He died at the scene from his injuries. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene. Sgt. Schlattman was hired by the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office on April 16, 2012, and was promoted to sergeant on July 13, 2024. During his career, he served in multiple assignments, including Special Investigations, Auto Theft, and as a task force officer with the United States Marshals Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. At the time of his death, he was assigned to the East Mountains area.Eastbound and westbound I-40 were closed in the area. Eastbound is back open, all westbound lanes reopened around 6:55 a.m. Tuesday. The timeline for when the highway will fully reopen is unknown as authorities investigate.This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.Stay updated on the latest news with the KOAT app. You can download it here.