Luna County, NM - On July 18, 2019 at around 1:15 p.m. the New Mexico State Police investigated a fatal crash on Interstate 10 near Mile Post 59 west of Deming, NM.

The initial investigation indicated a semi-tractor trailer was traveling east on I-10. For reasons unknown, the semi-tractor trailer left the roadway, traveled through the median into the westbound lanes, where a west bound 2013 Honda Accord collided with the trailer section of the tractor trailer. The driver of the Honda Accord, Jose M. Ortega (37) of El Centro, CA sustained fatal injuries, and was pronounced deceased by the Office of the Medical Investigator. The driver of the semi-tractor trailer, a fifty-eight-year-old Sunland Park, NM man was taken to an area hospital, his condition and injuries are unknown.

Alcohol does not appear to be a contributing factor to the crash and seatbelts appear to have been properly utilized. There were no other occupants in the vehicles and no other vehicles were involved. The crash is still under investigation with the assistance of the New Mexico State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit and no additional information is currently available.