Multi-Vehicle Rollover on Lomas Leaves One Dead, Five Injured

Albuquerque –

On September 22, 2024 at 7:29 PM, Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) was dispatched to a multi-vehicle collision and rollover at the intersection of Lomas and 2nd St., involving five vehicles and six patients. Squad 2, en route to another call, arrived first on scene and initiated a triage report. The report indicated 1 “Black” (deceased), 2 “Reds” (immediate care needed), 1 “Yellow” (serious but non-life-threatening), and 2 “Greens” (minor injuries).

Squad 2 declared a first alarm medical response, with a total of nine units responding to manage treatment, triage, and transport. Due to the extent of damage, one patient required extrication from a vehicle. AFR Rescue 4 transported one patient, while Albuquerque Ambulance transported two others to nearby hospitals. The cause of the accident remains under investigation by APD.

Usually, when a fatal crash occurs, APD’s public information officer sends an email to notify the media about the crash. However, on this situation no email was sent to media regarding this incident when the deadly crash occurred. APD typically shares a preliminary cause after the either the Motors Unit or Fatal Crash Team investigates, but as of this posting, APD has not released any information about the crash.

We received an automated response from Gilbert Gallegos indicating that he is out of the office for the next 14 days. This makes us wonder what the other two highly paid PIO’s are doing during Gilbert’s absence. Or are all of them together and no information will be disseminated to the public for a weeks?

AFR’s Squad 2 and Rescue 4 had a very busy weekend. Both Squad 2 and Rescue 4 responded to the rollover crash on I-40 westbound on September 21. Squad 2 initiated extrication procedures for the trapped driver. Due to the severity of the damage and intrusion into the driver’s compartment, the extrication process took approximately 30 minutes. Rescue 4 transported one patient to the hospital. Albuquerque Ambulance Service (AAS) transported the second. According to AFR, both patients sustained significant injuries.

Also on September 21, they responded to a multiple vehicle rollover crash at Gibson and Girard. The crash reportedly caused a gas leak. Rescue 4 and Rescue 5 transported the injured to a local area hospital. Two patients purportedly had serious injuries. APD’s Motors Unit responded to start an investigation. We have not received any more information on this crash, the cause, or victim’s conditions.

UPDATE:

After we posted this story, one of APD’s PIOs sent an email on this fatal crash which said:

APD’s Fatal Crash Team responded to the intersection of Lomas Boulevard and Second Street NW to investigate a fatal motor vehicle crash involving five vehicles.  

The early investigation shows there was a vehicle traveling eastbound on Lomas Blvd., when the vehicle entered the intersection at Second St. NW and struck another vehicle that was traveling northbound on Second St. NW. After the vehicle that was traveling northbound on Second Street NW was struck, it continued into the westbound lanes of Lomas Blvd., where the three other vehicles involved were stopped for a red traffic signal.

The driver of the vehicle traveling northbound on Second St. was pronounced deceased on scene and the passenger in the same vehicle was transported to a local hospital. The driver of the vehicle traveling northbound on Lomas Blvd. was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. The driver of one of the vehicles stopped at westbound Lomas Blvd was transported to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

All other drivers and occupants of the vehicles were not seriously injured and did not need to be transported.

Speed is being considered as a factor for the cause of the crash.

Detectives are working on next of kin notifications.

This is an ongoing investigation and further information will be released when available.