Written by Officer Ray Wilson 03/17/2022
San Juan County, NM – On March 16, 2022, at around 8:30 a.m., the New Mexico State Police responded to a crash involving two vehicles on State Road 170 near milepost 11, north of Farmington, NM.
The initial investigation indicated that a 1999 Chevy Silverado pickup truck, driven by Ruben Estrada-Estrada, 81 of Farmington was traveling north on the shoulder of the southbound lane of SR 170. For unknown reasons, the Chevy moved into the southbound lane of SR 170, still traveling north in the wrong direction. The Chevy collided head-on with a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by a 41-year-old male that was traveling south in the southbound lane of SR 170.
Estrada-Estrada was killed in the crash, he was pronounced deceased on scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator. The driver of the Jeep was transported to a local hospital with what is believed to be non-life-threatening injuries. Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the crash and seatbelts appear to have been properly used.