Police: Woman, child in car seat found dead on highway

GALLUP, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico authorities say a truck driver faces felony charges for allegedly leaving the scene of an accident in which a woman and an infant in a car seat were found dead along Interstate 40.

New Mexico State Police released details about the case Monday, saying a call had come in about a woman walking on the highway just west of Gallup on the night of Jan. 19.

A short time later, a state police officer and a McKinley County sheriff's deputy arrived to find a car seat with the dead infant in it and the woman's body in the median.

Investigators said the woman - identified as Jessica Ann Copey, 24, of Tohlakai - and the unidentified child were hit by a semi truck. They located a truck with heavy front-end damage the next day at a truck stop east of Gallup.

The driver - identified by police as Jagjeet Singh, 24, of Indiana - was taken into custody and booked into the McKinley County jail.

He also faces drug charges after a search of the truck turned up heroin, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, authorities said.

Singh's public defender, Jason Dunn, did not immediately return an email message seeking comment.

Court records show a preliminary hearing is scheduled for next week.

The case remains under investigation. State police did not say why Copey was walking in the roadway.