Deadly Pileup: Teen driving under the influence; Good Samaritan killed, police say
Police charged a 16-year-old girl with DUI after a five car pileup that claimed the life of a Good Samaritan who pulled over to help.
The wreck happened at 8:00 p.m. on March 27, 2019 on the westbound lanes of U.S. Highway 70 northeast of Las Cruces.
The initial investigation indicated a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am, driven by a 16-year-old girl from Las Cruces, was traveling west on U.S. 70. Investigators are still trying to figure out why the driver of the Grand Am crashed and was blocking the left lane of the two lane west bound road.
Police said 51-year-old Lorenza Nunez, of Las Cruces and driving a 2007 Chrysler SUV, stopped at the crash scene to help and warn oncoming traffic of the crash. Police said the area was very dark and the Grand Am had no lights on as it blocked the left lane.
Moments later, the driver of a 2012 Jeep crashed into the Grand Am and the Chrysler SUV. That led to a chain reaction crash involving the drivers of a Nissan Maxima and a 1991 Dodge Dually pulling a horse trailer.
Nunez, standing outside her vehicle, suffered fatal injuries during the series of wrecks. Police said she was pronounced dead at the scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator.
Police said the three occupants in the Grand Am, the driver of the Jeep, as well as the driver and three passengers in the Dodge did not suffer any injuries.
The driver and passenger in the Nissan Maxima, and an additional passenger from the Dodge Dually, were transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The horse in the trailer was not injured.
Police charged the 16-year-old driver of the Grand AM with ” Driving While Under the Influence of an Intoxicating Drug ” and careless driving.
Police said the dark road and the lack of lighting are believed to have been contributing factors in the series of wrecks.
Seatbelts were properly utilized by everyone except the passenger in the Nissan Maxima, police said.
The deadly wreck is still under investigation. Police did not identify the 16-year-old girl charged with DUI.
