2 die in I-25 pileup with 20 vehicles

SANTA FE — Two people in separate vehicles died after a “chain collision” on Interstate 25 near Romeroville, south of Las Vegas, N.M., on Monday evening.

The New Mexico State Police said 20 vehicles, including three semitruck rigs, were involved in crashes that took place about 5:30 p.m. A news release says I-25 was icy at the time amid rapidly dropping temperatures.

The National Weather Service said a combination of light snow and freezing fog and rain made roads slick in the area. The temperature in the Las Vegas area at the time was about 20 degrees.

The State Police, in a news release, said the collisions started when a vehicle traveling northbound slid off the roadway and struck the median divider. The driver of a semi-tractor-trailer rig tried to avoid the crash and jack-knifed in the interstate.

“Multiple vehicles, including a second semitractor-trailer, following behind the first semi were unable to avoid the collision and crashed, causing further pileup,” the release said.

“A third semi-tractor-trailer crashed into the pileup, as well as multiple passenger cars behind it. A total of 20 vehicles were involved in collisions with varying extents of damage. Multiple people were transported for injuries and two individuals in separate vehicles sustained fatal injuries in the crash.”

The interstate was closed for hours between Las Vegas and Pecos while officers and medical personnel responded and worked the scene.

The names of the two people who died were not released Tuesday pending notification of next of kin.