New Mexico State Police are investigating several fatal crashes so far this month.

 

On Nov. 4, New Mexico State Police officers in Quay County responded to Quay Road AD near the U.S. Highway 54 intersection after reports of a vehicle colliding with a train, according to a news release.

“The initial investigation indicated that for unknown reasons, a 2007 Toyota Camry driven by Abraham Riquiac-Gonzalez, 30, with passenger Pedro Jimon, 38, of Clovis was traveling north on Quay Road AD, crossed the train tracks, and was struck by a westbound freight train,” the release states. “Both occupants suffered fatal injuries in the collision and were pronounced deceased on the scene … The train engineers were not injured.”

Police say alcohol did not appear to have been a factor in the crash.

Then on Wednesday morning, a three-vehicle crash on N.M. 128 west of Jal, resulted in the death of 18-year-old Francisco Saenz Hinojos of El Paso, according to a news release.

“For unknown reasons, (Hinojos) crossed into opposing traffic and crashed head-on with a 2014 Volvo commercial vehicle that was traveling westbound on N.M. 128. The impact caused the Volvo to collide with a 2022 Ford F-250 that was traveling eastbound,” the release states. “Hinojos suffered fatal injuries in the crash and was pronounced deceased on the scene by the Office of Medical Investigator.”

Police say the driver of the Volvo was transported to an area hospital with injuries that were not life threatening and the others involved in the crash were not injured.

Alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash, the release says.

In a different crash, on Friday around 6:30 p.m. near Vaughn on U.S. Highway 54, 36-year-old Aaron Jantzi of Corona, was driving a 2022 Ford Ranger “when for an unknown reason, it crossed into opposing traffic and collided head-on with a 2014 GMC van that was traveling southbound,” a news release says.

Jantzi suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene and the 35-year-old driver of the van was transported to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, according to the release.