Deadly Day
Suspected drunken driver kills infant, 2 die in Interstate 40 head-on accident

A Firefighters attempt to extract a man from the a truck involved in a fatal accident along U.S. 491 in Gallup near Sundance Motors Tuesday afternoon. [Photo by Daniel Zollinger/Independent]

By Leslie Wood
Staff writer

GALLUP — Three people were killed Tuesday during a string of deadly traffic crashes along Interstate Highway 40 and U.S. Highway 491.

Meanwhile, an investigation continues into the third fatality that was allegedly caused by a drunken driver.

The first person was killed when a 1999 Toyota pickup driving the wrong way collided with a tractor-trailer truck in the westbound lane at mile marker 45.5 east of the Coolidge Exit on Interstate 40. The crash was reported at about 5 a.m. The pickup’s driver died at the scene.

Lt. John Kendall, of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Department, said alcohol was not involved in the crash and the pickup’s driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

A second fatality was caused when traffic from the first crash began backing up. A tractor-trailer truck slammed into a second truck while traveling in the westbound lane.

The driver of the 2000 Freightliner was killed. At least two other tractor-trailer trucks were involved in the crash.

Both of the deceased individuals were from out-of-state. Officials will release the victims’ names once next of kin is notified, Kendall said.

A third fatal crash was reported Tuesday afternoon along U.S. Highway 491 near Sundance Motors at about 3 p.m.

An infant, less than a year old, was killed as the result of a head-on collision between a red Neon passenger car and a maroon GMC truck.

Three people were taken to Gallup Indian Medical Center for treatment of undisclosed injuries. Sixty-nine-year-old Henry Kinlicheenie, the driver of the GMC pickup, was flown out of state for medical treatment. He was traveling alone.

Deputy Police Chief John Allen said Kinlicheenie was arrested for drunken driving and blood was drawn from him to determine his level of intoxication. The sample will be processed at a state lab and results aren’t expected for weeks.

The maroon truck was driving southbound in the northbound lane at the time of the head on impact. Prior to the crash, Kinlicheenie was driving the vehicle on and off the roadway that runs along New Mexico Highway 264 and ran a red light at the Gamerco exit along U.S. 491, according to witness statements.

Concerned motorists called the DWI hotline to report the driver’s erratic behavior seconds before the crash, Sgt. Erin Toadlena-Pablo, a spokeswoman for the Gallup Police Department, said.

Sheriff’s deputies subsequently diverted traffic from the area immediately following the collision, while the investigation continued well into the evening hours.