Death toll from I-40 crash rises to three

Three people died and six others, all from Mexico, suffered injuries in a one-vehicle rollover accident Friday of a sport-utility vehicle on Interstate 40 in Tucumcari.

The crash occurred about 4:55 p.m. Friday near milepost 333 on I-40 on Tucumcari’s east side, according to a news release Monday night from New Mexico State Police, who are investigating.

A 2002 Mercury Mountaineer driven east by a 31-year-old man sustained a tire blowout. The SUV left the roadway, hit a guardrail and rolled. Ten people were in the vehicle.

Three passengers, Alejandro Santiz Mendez, 27; Benito Gutierrez, 27; and Eduardo Rodriguez-Gutierrez, no age listed; died. Mendez and Gutierrez were pronounced dead at the scene by the Office of Medical Investigator. Rodriguez-Gutierrez died of his injuries while being flown to an Amarillo hospital.

An initial state police report Friday night stated two had died.

Four other passengers, ranging from 17 to 36 years old, sustained unknown injuries and were taken to Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari. Two male passengers, age 23 and 29, were flown to an Amarillo hospital.

Alcohol does not appear to be a factor.

The accident closed I-40 for about 90 minutes. Traffic was re-routed to First Street and Route 66.