Woman is killed in 4 a.m. crash

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Philip Stake
Staff writer

GALLUP — A Phoenix woman is dead after a gold Dodge Caravan traveling at considerable speed rammed the back of a tractor-trailer around 4:15 a.m. Friday.

The minivan’s passenger, Gabriella Reyes, 42, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver, Alberto Hernandez, 25, also of Phoenix, sustained visible injuries to his right ankle, right kneecap and right arm. Emergency medical personnel backboarded Hernandez into an ambulance and transported him to Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital. Neither of the minivan’s occupants had been wearing a seat belt, according to McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Owen Peña.

The accident occurred between mile markers 51 and 52 on U.S. Interstate 40, Peña said. He said the speed of the van is unknown, however the truck had been traveling at about 55 mph. The van had been traveling fast enough to jolt the truck driver sitting at the far end of 75,000 pounds. The tractor’s iron bumper bent under and the van crushed beneath the trailer.

“There was enough force to cause the engine in the Caravan to gouge the cement,” Peña said.

Investigators are exploring the possibility of charging Hernandez with vehicular homicide.