One person dead

THOREAU – Around 1 pm on June 9, New Mexico State Police officers investigated a fatal crash on I-40 near mile marker 53 in McKinley County. The initial investigation indicated a recreational vehicle traveling westbound left the roadway, crossed the median, and went into oncoming traffic.

The RV then collided with a semi-tractor trailer traveling eastbound. Debris from both vehicles was scattered in a wide area along both lanes of eastbound traffic. The tractor-trailer blocked both lanes after sliding to a stop on the east side of the bridge, and traffic in that direction was backed up for several miles to the west, in both lanes.

Eastbound traffic was diverted from the exit at Continental Divide and along Old Highway 66 to the eastbound ramp of I-40 at Prewitt.

The driver of the RV sustained fatal injuries, The identity of the driver is being withheld pending next of kin notification. Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in this crash, which remains under investigation.