(Deming) – A medical emergency is being blamed for a multiple-vehicle accident on Interstate 10 in Luna County Monday that shut down the interstate’s west-bound lanes for several hours.
The accident occurred when an east-bound semi-truck being driven by 58-year-old Robert Wagner from Tonopah, Arizona, veered into the westbound lanes after Wagner suffered what first responders described as a diabetic coma.
Wagner’s semi, going the wrong way on the interstate, struck another semi and a pickup.
The second semi was being driven by 55-year-old John Ricks from Brooklyn, New York, and was hauling semi-tractors.
The pickup, a Dodge Dakota, was being driven by 38-year-old Raul Rivera from Chandler, Arizona, who had four passengers, including three children.
The impact propelled the semi-hauler some distance and side-swiped the four-door pickup, smashing the front of the pickup and sheering off both drivers’ side doors.
Ricks was airlifted to an El Paso hospital where he was listed in stable condition.
Wagner was transported by ambulance to Mountain View Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces.
And, remarkably, the family of five received only minor injuries which were treated at the scene.
The accident happened on I-10 near mile marker 69, which is west of Deming and just east of the Petro truck stop exit, about 12:30 p.m. Monday.
The driver told responders that he thought he was in Arizona and he thought he was travelling on the correct side of the interstate.
The accident occurred when an east-bound semi-truck being driven by 58-year-old Robert Wagner from Tonopah, Arizona, veered into the westbound lanes after Wagner suffered what first responders described as a diabetic coma.
Wagner’s semi, going the wrong way on the interstate, struck another semi and a pickup.
The second semi was being driven by 55-year-old John Ricks from Brooklyn, New York, and was hauling semi-tractors.
The pickup, a Dodge Dakota, was being driven by 38-year-old Raul Rivera from Chandler, Arizona, who had four passengers, including three children.
The impact propelled the semi-hauler some distance and side-swiped the four-door pickup, smashing the front of the pickup and sheering off both drivers’ side doors.
Ricks was airlifted to an El Paso hospital where he was listed in stable condition.
Wagner was transported by ambulance to Mountain View Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces.
And, remarkably, the family of five received only minor injuries which were treated at the scene.
The accident happened on I-10 near mile marker 69, which is west of Deming and just east of the Petro truck stop exit, about 12:30 p.m. Monday.
The driver told responders that he thought he was in Arizona and he thought he was travelling on the correct side of the interstate.
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