Cibola County, NM – On August 2, 2022, at approximately 5:12 a.m., the New Mexico State Police responded to a two-vehicle fatal rollover crash on Interstate 40, near milepost 79, by Milan, NM.
The initial investigation indicated a 2004 Honda Pilot SUV, and a 2012 Nissan Quest Van, and were both traveling east in the right lane of Interstate 40. For reasons still under investigation, as the Honda approached the Nissan from the rear, the Honda struck the Nissan. The Nissan spun out of control and rolled on the roadway. An infant child passenger inside the Nissan, who was not in a car seat, was ejected from the vehicle. The infant child sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Office of Medical Investigator.
There was a total of eight occupants inside the Nissan at the time of the crash. The driver, a 34-year-old male, along with four passengers with ages ranging from 12-years-old to 51-years-old, were all uninjured. A 64-year-old passenger was treated and released on scene by emergency medical personnel for non-life threatening injuries. A 27-year-old passenger was transported by emergency medical personnel to an area hospital in Grants, NM for unknown injuries.
The Honda had a total of four occupants inside the vehicle at the time of the crash. The driver, a 20-year-old male along with three passengers with ages ranging from 20-years-old to 22-years-old, were all uninjured.
Alcohol does not appear to be a factor. Seatbelts appear to have been used by all occupants, except for the infant child passenger. For the privacy of the family, the name of the infant child and the names of the drivers and passengers will not be released by State Police. This crash remains under investigation by the New Mexico State Police with the assistance of the New Mexico State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit.
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