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Tanner Wooley, 16, dies in motorcycle accident in Belen, New Mexico

Modified Date: 
Tue, 12/05/2023 - 10:27am
Accident Date: 
Saturday, November 22, 2014

Teen identified in fatal motorcycle crash

Orndorff was arrested on vehicular homicide and DWI charges and has been placed on a bond hold for a probation violation.

Motorcyclist killed after collision in Belen

Authorities say a motorcycle driven by Tanner Wooley hit the passenger side of a car at the intersection of Third and Reinken shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday.

Belen woman charged with DWI, vehicular homicide after crash that killed teen

Orndorff was arrested in September for possession of a controlled substance.

Woman on bond hold for crash that killed teen

Police say 33-year-old Dejohni Orndorff was drunk when she turned in front of Tanner Wooley, which caused the crash. Orndorff was on probation for drug charges and shouldn’t have been drinking.

Teen killed in motorcycle crash remembered

 “Tanner was a great kid. He was always smiling, always happy and always trying to have fun and make sure that everybody else had fun,” said Timothy Yost, Wooley’s brother. “I can’t even express to you how proud I am of him, for the pureness in his heart. To touch this many people, it’s amazing,” said Yost.

Evidence holding up deadly crash case

The District Attorney’s Office says it’s still waiting on a second reconstruction of the crash from state police before moving forward.

Tanner Wooley was riding his motorcycle when he was struck by 33-year-old Dejohni Orndorff who drunkenly turned in front of him, fatally injuring him. The accident occured at the intersection of Third and Reinken. More information posted as it is released.

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Type: Motorcycle Accident
Topics: 
Accident Topics: Teenaged Drivers - Young Adult Drivers, DWI - DUI - Alcohol or Drug Use
People Involved: 
Tanner Wooley
Dejohni Orndorff
Roadway: 
Third and Reinken
City: 
Belen, NM
County: 
Valencia County, NM
Area: 
Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM

Comments

Submitted by Victoria Woolley on Fri, 07/18/2025 - 10:54pm

I am the mother of Tanner Woolley that died in this accident. I think the worse part of all this besides losing my son is the way the court system dropped the ball. Talk about adding insult to injury, to let this person off probation early 2 days after the accident was our first kick in the teeth. To follow up with dropping the charges of vehicular homicide because "nobody that testified called him by his real legal name, he was refered to as victim, or decedent (per Judge Mercer), so she didn't know who she killed!  Yes that is the explaination I received in the courtroom by the judge, it took the state almost 4 years to take her to trial and she didn't know his name?? This state is so unbelievable it's time to clean house in all the courts and start fresh! 

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