
Luna County Sheriff’s Captain Jose Martinez said 20-year-old Bradley Choate was driving a 1997 green-colored Buick sedan south on Eighth Street near Sunshine Road at an excessive speed when he lost control of the vehicle and it rolled over, striking a power pole.
Choate and passenger 20-year-old Lakota Cruz were airlifted to El Paso for treatment of their injuries, while 15-year-old Amber Peacock was taken by ambulance to Mimbres Memorial Hospital and 29-year-old Steven Lewis was treated at the scene and released.
All four were responding to a fire at Waterloo Produce off Sunshine Road that started just before 2 p.m. Friday when a controlled burn became uncontrolled and torched some 400 wooden pallets and over 30 plastic crates.
The fire loss was estimated at $20,000.