One man was recently killed and seven other people were injured in a rollover crash on northbound Interstate 25 in Santa Fe County. The accident reportedly occurred after a rear tire blew on a 2001 Ford Expedition driven by 40-year-old Crystal Tina Sione of Las Vegas, New Mexico. According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department, the woman over-corrected and lost control of the vehicle following the tire blow-out. The Expedition reportedly left the roadway and rolled several times down an embankment.
Sione’s husband, 51-year-old Alani Tuineau Sione was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene of the crash. Lt. Joe McLaughlin stated everyone else who was injured in the accident is expected to recover. Emergency responders reportedly took 27-year-old Landis Lavea, her three children, 21-year-old David Johnson, and the driver to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center for treatment of the injuries they sustained in the tragic accident. The driver’s 8-year-old daughter was transported to The University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.
According to McLaughlin, the group was returning to Las Vegas from a Rugby match in Albuquerque when the accident occurred. Alani Sione and Johnson were both members of a rugby club associated with Highlands University. Both men reportedly played in the Albuquerque match.
Although the cause of the crash is still under investigation, alcohol is reportedly not a suspected factor in the incident. It is currently unclear whether all of the passengers in the Explorer were wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.
Regrettably, people are killed in car crashes on New Mexico roads and freeways every day. An automobile collision can result from many factors including driver intoxication or carelessness, automobile defects, or dangerous road conditions. Individuals who were hurt in a collision may be able to recover financial compensation for their medical expenses, suffering, pain, lost earnings, any resulting disability, and other damages. If you were injured in a New Mexico motor vehicle crash, you should contact a skilled personal injury attorney as soon as you are able.
Sometimes, an automobile defect may cause an unexpected automobile accident like this one. If a defectively manufactured tire, motor vehicle, or other product has caused you to become injured, you may have a damages claim against the manufacturer or distributor of the product. A capable products liability lawyer can help you file your claim.
If you were injured or a family member was killed in a New Mexico car accident, do not hesitate to call the Fine Law Firm at (505) 889-3463 today. Our hardworking Santa Fe personal injury attorneys have more than 100 years of combined experience helping the victims of unexpected and tragic injuries throughout New Mexico achieve the compensation their injuries merit. For a free case evaluation with a knowledgeable lawyer, please contact the Fine Law Firm through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Testimony Begins in Medical Malpractice Case Against Santa Fe Hospital, New Mexico Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, September 6, 2012
NHTSA Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign Continues Through Labor Day in New Mexico, Nationwide, New Mexico Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, August 26, 2012
Additional Resources:
Rugby player killed in car crash, by Anna Velasquez, koat.com
1 killed, 7 seriously injured in I-25 rollover, by Dennis J. Carroll, The Santa Fe New Mexican