In September, a tragic accident on Interstate 40 near Gallup left two roadway construction workers dead and another injured. According to New Mexico State Police, five Valley Fence Company employees were installing a post and cable barrier in the median of the roadway when a westbound recreational vehicle (RV) driven by 67-year-old Lee McCray of Owensville, Indiana unexpectedly swerved into the median and struck three of the men. Sadly, 20-year-old Johan Marioni was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. 56-year-old Hermelindo Autunez was reportedly pinned between the RV and a work truck parked in the median. He died at a local area hospital about five hours later. A fence company foreman, 36-year-old Pedro Moreno, was treated for broken ribs after he was allegedly struck by a side mirror attached to the RV.
According to State Police, it does not appear that alcohol played a role in the crash. Although the exact cause of the fatal incident was not clear, police stated McCray appeared to have suffered a medical emergency immediately prior to striking the three men. Despite that McCray did not suffer any injuries as a result of the collision, he was purportedly transported to a Gallup hospital for a series of tests. The accident is currently under investigation by the nation’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Ironically, the fence that was being installed by the workers killed was part of a New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) safety project designed to prevent vehicles from entering the median of the freeway. A NMDOT spokesperson, Melissa Dosher, stated agency employees were in the process of placing warning signs along the roadway and closing the lane the RV was traveling in at the time of the wreck.
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of personal injury claims filed in New Mexico every year. A crash can easily result whenever a distracted, inattentive, impaired, or reckless motorist travels on the roadways throughout our state. In addition, automobile collisions may result from hazardous road conditions, motor vehicle defects, medical emergencies, and any number of other factors. The victim of an accident with a vehicle may be entitled to receive compensation for pain and suffering, medical costs, lost wages and benefits, and more. The personal representative of someone who was killed in such an accident may be entitled to recover additional compensation pursuant to the New Mexico Wrongful Death Act. A skilled wrongful death attorney can explain your rights in greater detail.
If your close relative was killed in a serious injury accident, you should contact the Fine Law Firm. Our hardworking Albuquerque wrongful death lawyers are available to help you recover the compensation you deserve following the tragic loss of a loved one. At the Fine Law Firm, our qualified attorneys have more than 100 years of combined experience handling thousands of New Mexico automobile, truck, motorcycle, and other injury accident cases. To schedule a free confidential case evaluation, do not hesitate to call the Fine Law Firm today at (505) 889-3463 or contact our committed lawyers through the law firm’s website.
More Blog Posts:
New Mexico Again Ranks Number One in Per Capita Accidental Deaths, New Mexico Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, December 23, 2012
Study Finds State of New Mexico May be Liable for $120 Million in Albuquerque Medical Malpractice Case, New Mexico Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, December 16, 2012
Additional Resources:
Tragedy Strikes Highway Project, by Patrick Lohmann, Albuquerque Journal