Executive Summary
- A fatal crash closed eastbound I-40 at 98th Street in Albuquerque on Thursday night.
- The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office diverted traffic on Paseo del Norte Wednesday due to a bridge strike.
- The Chaves County Sheriff’s Office responded to a non-injury rollover crash on Stargrass Road in Roswell.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal vehicular accident that resulted in the complete closure of a stretch of Interstate 40 in northwest Albuquerque on Thursday night. According to reports from KOAT, police units were dispatched to the scene on the eastbound lanes of the interstate near 98th Street at approximately 10:00 p.m.
Traffic on the eastbound side of I-40 was diverted onto 98th Street to allow emergency crews to clear the wreckage and conduct a preliminary investigation. Officials confirmed that the interstate was reopened to commuters early Friday morning. As of the latest updates, authorities have not released the identity of the deceased or provided specific details regarding the circumstances that led to the collision.
In a separate infrastructure-related incident on Wednesday afternoon, deputies from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) responded to a crash involving a bridge strike in Albuquerque. A traffic alert issued by the BCSO at 4:38 p.m. indicated that deputies blocked all westbound lanes of Paseo del Norte at the Rio Grande, diverting traffic to 2nd Street. While no injuries were reported, the bridge structure required an immediate inspection by the Department of Transportation. The roadway was declared safe and reopened at 5:41 p.m.
Additionally, in Roswell, authorities responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash on Thursday morning. According to a statement from the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred on Stargrass Road at approximately 11:17 a.m. The driver reported losing control of the vehicle while attempting to navigate a turn, resulting in the vehicle rolling onto its side. The driver declined medical attention, and no other vehicles were involved.
Investigative & Safety Outlook
The convergence of these incidents across New Mexico underscores distinct challenges in regional traffic management and infrastructure safety. The investigation into the fatal I-40 crash will likely focus on accident reconstruction to determine causative factors, such as speed, impairment, or environmental conditions. Meanwhile, the bridge strike on Paseo del Norte highlights the critical operational protocols required to assess structural integrity following vehicular impacts. Law enforcement and transportation officials are expected to review these events to assess potential safety improvements for these high-traffic corridors.
