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Wrong-way driver dies in head-on crash on East Central, one of two fatal overnight crashes
A wrong-way driver died late Friday after plowing his truck head-on into another truck waiting at a stop light on East Central — one of two fatal overnight crashes being investigated by Albuquerque police.
Police said the first incident occurred around 9:40 p.m. Friday at Central and Juan Tabo, where a Dodge Ram pickup truck was stopped in the left lane of westbound Central. While waiting at the light, a Ford pickup going east in the westbound lanes of Central, went through the intersection, crashing head-on into the other truck.
"Vehicles in the westbound lanes attempted to signal to the Ford by flashing their lights," the Albuquerque Police Department said in a Saturday morning news release.
The wrong-way driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene. He was not identified by police.
The second crash happened around 3 a.m. Saturday, when the driver of a Mercedes SUV was exiting southbound Interstate 25 at San Mateo.
"It appears that the vehicle was traveling too fast for the turn," police said in the release. "The vehicle went off the roadway and landed in the open area north and below the off-ramp."
The female driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected and died at the scene, police said. She was not identified by police.
APD's Fatal Crash Unit is investigating both crashes.
