A Texas man was killed west of Jal Monday morning in three-vehicle crash on New Mexico Highway 128 that resulted in a head-on collision.
The driver of one of vehicles, Luis Carlos Cruz, 56, of Orange, Texas, sustained fatal injuries at the scene, said state police.
The driver and passenger of another vehicle both sustained unknown injuries and were transported to a local hospital, while the driver and passenger of the third vehicle complained of unknown injuries, police said.
State police said the three-vehicle crash occurred at about 7:15 a.m. on Highway 128, west of Jal, near mile post 35.
Police said the initial investigation indicated a pickup truck driven by a 28-year-old Laredo, Texas, man was traveling east on Highway 128 when for unknown reasons his pickup drifted into oncoming traffic of the westbound lane, striking the left rear end of a car being driven by a 27-year-old man.
After the collision, police said the car spun off the roadway and the pickup continued eastbound, colliding head-on into a westbound pickup truck being driven by Cruz, causing Cruz’s pickup to roll over.
Cruz was pronounced dead at the scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator, said state police.
Police said the driver and passenger of the pickup being driven eastbound by the 28-year-old Laredo man both sustained unknown injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
The driver and passenger of the westbound car that was initially struck complained of unknown injuries, police said.
State police said alcohol does not appear to have been a contributing factor in the crash and that seatbelts appear to have been worn by everyone except Cruz.
Police said the fatal crash remains under investigation and that charges are pending against the driver of the pickup who reportedly veered into the oncoming lane. Police did not disclose the name of the driver of that pickup.
State police said the name of the driver and passenger of the car that was initially struck will not be released since no charges will be filed against them.
The highway was closed for several hours after the crash as police investigated the accident.
