4 Corners Triple Fatal, as paged

[jimmnn]

5/23 10:08 am L/U/D Sandoval Co., NM: T/A at the 84 mm on US 550. 3 veh w/6 pts. Cmdr rpts pt count as 1 yellow, 2 red, 3 black. Air Care 1 crew to scene by ground unit.

5/23 9:47 am U/D Sandoval Co., NM: T/A at the 84 mm on US 550. 3 veh w/6 pts. Air Care 1 attempting to fly south on US 550 to rendezvous with ground units at CR 7900. M/A Cuba, NM Fire & EMS.

5/23 9:36 am Sandoval Co., NM: T/A at the 84 mm on US 550. 3 veh w/6 pts. Rpts of 2 black and others trapped. M/A en route from San Juan County. Chopper unable to fly due to high winds and snow.

Jim<

 

[jimmnn]

Farmington woman killed in U.S. 550 crash: Police say icy conditions were factor

By James Monteleone The Daily Times

CUBA -- A Farmington woman was killed in a weather-related car accident Friday while en route to Albuquerque with her family to depart for a Caribbean cruise. The trip was intended to be a celebration of her daughter's high school graduation a day earlier.

Out-of-season icy conditions on U.S. 550 north of Cuba likely caused the fatal accident that killed Kim McDaniel, 43, and injured three family members, New Mexico State Police spokesman Peter Olson said.

Also killed were a 62-year-old man from Florida and a 54-year-old woman from Alabama, neither of whom were identified Friday because police had not located family members.

Farmington High School graduate Jade McDaniel, 17, and brother Chad McDaniel, 11, were taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center and reported to be in fair condition. Husband Rick McDaniel, 47, also was taken to the Farmington hospital but no condition report was available.

The accident occurred about 9:45 a.m. about 40 miles north of Cuba, Olson said. Police said the McDaniel's 2000 Toyota SUV slid across three lanes of traffic when brakes locked up on the icy road. The vehicle then was struck on the passenger side door by a northbound 2008 Impala, carrying the unidentified victims.

"The two cars were headed in opposite directions when one slammed on the brakes and skidded across oncoming traffic and they hit head on," Olson said. "Weather was obviously a big factor. Speed also seems to be a factor." Olson could not confirm if seat belts were worn by the accident victims.

Severe weather in the area of the accident delayed emergency responders'
access to the crash site, police said. The positions of the heavily damaged and entangled cars also prevented rescue crews from reaching some of the victims involved for an extended period of time.