New Mexico State Police: Multiple wrecks close I-40 stretch

SANTA ROSA, N.M. – Multiple crashes occurred on a snow- and ice-covered stretch of westbound Interstate 40 in northeastern New Mexico after a Pacific storm swept across the region, closing 38 miles of the highway, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

The State Police initially reported a wreck involving about 40 vehicles late Saturday morning on westbound Interstate 40 between Santa Rosa and Tucumcari. But a spokesman later said there actually were multiple crashes “in a concentrated area, due to snow and ice on the roadway, not one large pileup.”

The spokesman, Sgt. Chad Pearce, said troopers at the scene were still trying to determine the number of crashes and vehicles involved.

Westbound traffic was detoured around the area.

Pearce said he had no immediate reports of injuries but that officers at the scene continued to investigate.

Photos posted on social media from drivers on I-40 in the area showed tractor-trailer rigs and cars on the freeway’s snow-covered median and other vehicles bumper to bumper in traffic lanes.

The winter weather advisory issued Saturday morning by the National Weather Service for northeastern New Mexico, including the stretch of I-40 where the wrecks occurred, warned of “very hazardous travel conditions” from near-zero visibility due to blowing snow.

The Pacific storm that dropped snow and rain across large areas of Arizona and New Mexico on Friday and Saturday morning had moved east into Texas and Oklahoma by Saturday afternoon.