3 die, several hurt in crash
Eight suspected illegal aliens flee scene of I-40 accident

By Tom Purdom
Staff Writer

PUEBLO OF ACOMA — The eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 east of Grants were shut down the second time within 24 hours because of the same horrific fatality accident on Thursday.

Three people were killed, four more were injured and as many as eight others, who may be injured, scattered into the nearby bushes after the accident.

State Police Spokesman Lt. Jimmy Glascock said because of the magnitude of the accident, state police accident reconstruction experts were called to the scene Friday to investigate. While they investigated, from about 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., Interstate 40 eastbound lanes were shut down and traffic was diverted off the interstate to New Mexico 124.

It is believed that up to 15 people, mostly illegal aliens, were crammed into a 1997 Chevrolet Suburban heading east when the accident happened at 5:52 p.m. near Mile Marker 103, on the Pueblo of Acoma about a mile east of Sky City Casino.

New Mexico State Police Spokesman Jimmy Glascock on Friday said next-of-kin notification is underway.

Two accident victims were med-evaced by helicopter to the University of New Mexico Hospital in critical condition and Glascock said one additional individual showed up at Cibola General Hospital needing medical help for his injuries Thursday night. Sgt. Rick Doty, with the Milan Substation of District 6, of the New Mexico State Police, said one other man, also an illegal alien, walked into the ACL Emergency Room with injuries and Laguna Police found yet one more of the victims at Mile Marker 114, trying to hitch a ride.

Eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 at Mile Marker 103, were shut down from about 6 p.m. until just after 11 p.m., Thursday. State police shut the interstate down again Friday while accident reconstruction experts combed the scene for any clue explaining why the accident happened.

Glascock said witnesses told state police the Chevrolet Suburban was being driven east on the interstate when it came upon a Volvo Semi-Truck hauling double trailers. "The suburban pulled into the left lane to pass the semi truck," Glascock said. "Then for some reason, the driver of the suburban swerved back in front of the Volvo in the right lane. We don't know why the driver pulled back into the Volvo."

Glascock said the driver of the truck, Benjamin Laird, 28, of Illinois, said he was unable to avoid hitting the suburban.

"Both vehicles went off the south side of the road and one of the trailers on the truck came to rest on top of the suburban,"Glascock said.

The state police got to the scene, assessed the situation, called for additional help and shut down the eastbound lanes of Interstate 40. The three dead people and two critically-injured persons were trapped in the tangled wreckage.

Witnesses reported seeing several individuals run from the wreck and disappear into nearby brush on the Pueblo of Acoma. With the possibility of scared and maybe injured people laying in the brush, and with night temperatures rapidly dropping to below freezing, state police brought in a special helicopter equipped with devices designed to find people in darkness. In addition, state police officers, Acoma Police and deputies from the Cibola County Sheriff's Department combed the nearby brush for any accident victims. "None were found and we finally had to call off the helicopter search," Glascock said. Doty said the state police are still patrolling the area hoping to find other accident victims ."We think they may all be out of the area by now," Doty said.

Grants Fire and Rescue, Acoma Fire and Rescue and Laguna Fire and Rescue raced to the scene, but it was not an easy job removing the injured and dead from the wreckage. Rescue workers raced against time to get the injured out of the suburban first, then the dead were removed. "It was amazing how well everybody worked together," Doty said. He said the critically injured were alive when they were med-evaced from the accident scene because of the work of the three fire and rescue departments.

Doty said the man picked up by Laguna Police at Mile Marker 114, told state police he is from the Phoenix, Ariz., area, and was in Gallup, when he was picked up by the van. The man was later turned over to the U.S. Immigration Services. "He said he never counted, but there were about 15 people in the van when it crashed," Doty said. "He said they were on their way to Chicago."

Glascock said the suburban had Alabama registration. "We're investigating that too," Glascock said.

Agents from Immigration Services arrived at the accident scene about 10 p.m. Thursday and are investigating the situation.