Fatal Winter Pileup on I-40
Photo credit: La Daily Post
In Guadalupe County, NM, new information has emerged about the tragic collision on Interstate 40 amid a severe winter storm.
The hazardous white-out conditions and snow-covered roads affected travel across New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma.
The Texas Department of Public Safety responded by announcing multiple road closures, including westbound Interstate 40 at Soncy Road in Amarillo up to the New Mexico state line.
As detailed by New Mexico state police on Thursday, the reported fatal crash occurred near milepost 291, east of Santa Rosa, around 10 a.m. on Monday.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a 21-year-old from Indianapolis, Indiana, driving a semi-tractor trailer, collided with a passenger van driven by 71-year-old David James McGarrah of Neosho, Missouri.
Unfortunately, McGarrah was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, while the 70-year-old passenger's injuries are unknown. The semi-truck driver remained unharmed.
The initial collision led to a pileup involving approximately 43 vehicles, resulting in multiple injuries. The police are actively investigating the extent of injuries and details of the pileup. Poor weather conditions and driver inattention are suspected contributors to the tragic incident.
