ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The suspect accused of fatally shooting a 4-year-old Albuquerque girl during a road rage fight with the child’s father is scheduled to appear in court today with his attorneys saying he’ll enter a plea to one count of second-degree murder.

Attorneys for Tony Torrez said they reached an agreement with prosecutors in the case a day before the suspect’s jury trial was scheduled to begin today, with plea deal negotiations going down to the wire in a killing that horrified the state and stoked concerns about rising crime rates in New Mexico’s largest city.

Lilly Garcia, a preschooler, and her older brother were in the backseat of their father Alan Garcia’s pickup truck, heading home from school, when a lane-change dispute on Interstate-40 between Garcia and Torrez escalated. Lilly was struck with a bullet in the back of the head and died.

Torrez had been charged with first-degree murder.

Under the agreement with prosecutors, he’s expected to enter an Alford plea for the second-degree murder charge and accept a 16-year prison term. An Alford plea means Torrez does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence to convict him.

Veronica Garcia, the victim’s mother, declined to comment after the plea agreement was reached but said she planned to make a statement today.