A Valencia County resident is alleged to have seriously injured two motorcyclists when he drove his vehicle in the wrong direction along the Interstate 25 North on Wednesday, Aug. 9.
Witnesses to the daytime crash reportedly first noticed something was awry when they saw the older gentleman driving his vehicle close to the highway's 189th mile marker, just a little past Belen. Not too long after that, he first crashed into guardrail before striking two motorcyclists head-on.
Deputies with the Valencia County Sheriff's Department, who responded to the crash, noted that the elderly man apparently was in a state of confusion when they arrived on the scene. He told officers that he'd been at a Los Lunas dialysis clinic earlier in the day, but otherwise seemed to be unclear about his whereabouts or how he'd become involved in the car crash. It's unclear if he suffered any injuries.
As for the motorcyclists, they were both described as having both either critical or severe injuries in the crash. In fact, their injuries were so serious that both were flown to Albuquerque by helicopter for treatment. While the identities of the victims have not been released, crash scene photos show a band of bikers with their group's name clearly identified on their jackets.
The roadway remained closed for hours as police worked to investigate the crash. It's unclear if any charges will be filed against the driver responsible for having caused this crash as police suspects that he might have suffered some kind of medical emergency immediately before it happened.
Among the list of factors that cause the highest rates of traffic-related catastrophic injuries or fatalities rates in the United States, reckless, drunk and distracted driving are at the top of the list. A Los Lunas car accident attorney can advise you of your right to file an injury lawsuit in your case.
Source: The News Bulletin, "Wrong-way driver sends two to hospital," Julia Dendinger, accessed Sep. 28, 2017
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