Three people killed in bus crash on New Mexico highway

A New Mexico highway crash involving a passenger bus and three other vehicles killed three people and injured another 24 early Sunday morning, authorities said.

One of the people killed was in a car that struck a pickup truck from behind around 2 a.m. Sunday on Interstate 25 just north of Bernalillo, which is about 18 miles north of Albuquerque, said Lt. Keith Elder, spokesman for the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office.

The bus driver took evasive action to avoid hitting the disabled car and its driver, who was ejected. But the bus driver lost control and the bus rolled onto its right side, where it was then sideswiped by a semitruck, according to Elder.

It wasn’t immediately known whether the other two persons who died were bus passengers or were in one of the other vehicles. The names of the three dead were being withheld until relatives could be notified, Elder said.

The Rio Rancho Fire Rescue posted a picture of the crash's aftermath to its Facebook page, showing a wrecked bus lying on its side surrounded by debris.

Authorities also posted that they had used the Jaws of Life — a tool used to pry apart the wreckage of crashed vehicles — to free trapped passengers inside the bus and that multiple fire and emergency services were on the scene to assist.

Sheriff’s officials said 35 people were on the bus operated by El Paso-Los Angeles Limousine Express. The bus company didn’t immediately comment on the accident.

Emergency responders reported treating 38 people at the accident scene with injuries ranging from broken bones and lacerations to head and internal injuries, authorities said.

Twelve of the injured were taken to University of New Mexico Hospital, where three were in critical condition, officials said.

Interstate 25 was closed in both directions for 11 hours because of the accident.

Contributing: Associated Press

WSOC