Authorities identify boy killed in crash
A 3-year-old boy killed in a head-on collision last week on U.S. 285 was identified Wednesday as Charles Hite of Ojo Caliente, a Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office spokesman said. The crash occurred around 2:30 p.m. Oct. 21 about 10 miles south of Ojo Caliente. Charles had been riding in a car seat in a 2018 Toyota Camry being driven northbound by his mother Liza Hite, 35, of Ojo Caliente when the Camry strayed into the southbound lane for unknown reasons, Maj. Randy Sanches said. A 2019 Dodge Challenger traveling southbound swerved to avoid the Camry and both vehicles corrected at the same time, colliding head-on, Sanches said. Both vehicles were extensively damaged. An off-duty nurse passing by the scene performed CPR on Charles, who was then taken to Presbyterian Española Hospital. Hospital staff were able to temporarily reestablish the boy’s vital signs and he was flown to University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.
Charles died at the hospital two days later on the morning of Oct. 23. Charles’ mother was evaluated at the hospital in Española and also flown to UNM Hospital, where she underwent surgery for spinal injuries and is still recovering there, Sanches said.
The driver of the Challenger, 50-year-old Freddie Brasfield of Tennessee, was flown from the crash scene to UNM Hospital, where he underwent multiple surgeries, Sanches said. It was not immediately known Wednesday if he had been released from the hospital.
“From what we hear, he’s recovering well,” Sanches said.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash. Sanches said the investigating deputy had yet to interview Liza Hite.