Winter Driving Conditions Result in Double Fatal

(LAS CRUCES, NM) – On Friday, February 13, 2004, at 6:50 a.m. the New Mexico State Police investigated a one vehicle fatality crash that occurred on U.S. 54 near mile-marker 24 between El Paso, TX and Alamogordo, NM. The crash resulted due to icy road conditions.

The vehicle was traveling northbound on U.S. 54 when it went out of control, due to the icy conditions, and overturned two times, continued through the median and finally came to rest in the southbound lanes of U.S. 54. Two of the passengers were pronounced dead on the scene while the remaining three occupants were transported to Thomason Hospital in El Paso, TX with various injuries. The names of the victims have not been released pending notification of the next of kin.

Law enforcement in southern New Mexico has been working multiple crashes due to poor weather and road conditions. Road crews from the New Mexico Department of Transportation have been plowing and sanding these roadways since early this morning. All roads in the area are currently open. However, travel is discouraged due to black ice and slick road conditions. Anyone needing to travel in this area is asked to be aware of the road conditions and to drive accordingly. The telephone number for up to date road conditions is 800-432-4269.

Some of the roadways that are of concern are:

• Interstate 25 north of Las Cruces near Hatch
• U.S. 54 between the Texas state line and Alamogordo
• U.S. 70 between Las Cruces and Alamogordo
• State Road 404 near the Chaparral, NM area.

***