EDGEWOOD, NM — An Edgewood couple says a City of Albuquerque sanitation truck totaled the car their family depends on after a crash on Aug. 17 near I-40 and University. Mitch and Terrie Gruen say Mitch was driving their 9-year-old special-needs grandson to therapy when the city vehicle struck their car as he turned from an inside right-turn lane.
The Gruens say their grandson was not hurt, but the car was badly damaged and later declared a total loss by their insurance company. They say repair estimates topped $10,000, creating a financial burden on top of the stress of the crash itself.
Mitch Gruen says the truck hit and pushed his car through the turn
Mitch Gruen said he was partway through the turn when the sanitation truck hit his car and pushed it forward for a considerable distance before both vehicles stopped. He said he immediately checked on his grandson in the back seat and got no answer at first, which left him worried the child had been badly hurt.
Gruen said the truck was a roll-off vehicle from the City of Albuquerque’s Sanitation Department. He said the crash left his grandson frightened and quiet, even though the child was later said to be okay. The family says the car, however, was not usable after the collision.
Repair bills and a totaled car turned the crash into a major expense
Terrie Gruen said the couple had expected the car to be their last major purchase, and the loss has put them back in a difficult position. She said they had already made three years of payments on the vehicle and now face the prospect of a down payment and new monthly payments all over again.
She said the financial strain has also brought sleepless nights and uncertainty about how they will manage the cost of replacing the car. The Gruens said they are not wealthy and rely on the vehicle for everyday needs, making the loss especially hard on their household.
The family says it filed a police report and contacted the city’s risk office
Terrie Gruen said the family filed a police report and reached out to the city’s Risk Management Office on Aug. 31. She said someone from risk management discussed the accident, liability and what would happen next, including who might help with the vehicle.
She said one comment about what would be fair to the family versus the city upset her. The Gruens say they have been waiting for a clear answer about how the damage will be handled and when help might come.
City officials say the claim is under review and similar cases can take time
A city official told KOB 4 the city is reviewing the claim. The official said crashes like this happen often and can take months or even years to be closed out, suggesting the process may not move quickly.
Albuquerque police said a city supervisor responded to the crash and that no injuries were reported. The family’s complaint is centered on the damage to the car and the delay in getting a decision, not on any reported injuries from the collision.
City policy requires immediate notice after a vehicle crash
KOB 4 also reported that city policy requires an employee involved in a city-vehicle crash to notify a supervisor and police right away, then file both verbal and written reports within one workday. That rule is meant to document the incident and start the claims process.
The Gruens say they want the city to accept responsibility and help make them whole so they do not have to pay out of pocket for a replacement they cannot easily afford. For now, they say they are still waiting for a resolution and trying to figure out how to replace the car their family uses every day.
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