The family of a Santa Fe man who drowned while attempting to retrieve his dog from a pond at Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino in 2020 recently filed a lawsuit seeking compensation from the casino, the Pueblo of Pojoaque Gaming Commission and several related entities.
Attorneys representing Jose Ochoa’s longtime companion and children said a quick resolution of the claim in state District Court could help the family members recover from the trauma of witnessing his death.
But lawyers first had to prepare the family for a long battle: The claim could take years to be resolved, due to an ongoing legal fight over whether such cases should be decided in state or tribal courts.
