U.S. 84/285 was shut down for hours due to crashes linked to icy conditions, affecting traffic and causing injuries.
Santa Fe: So, there was quite a mess on U.S. 84/285 the other night. It got closed for a few hours because of some nasty crashes. The police said it was all due to black ice forming after sunset.
It all kicked off around 7 p.m. when temperatures dropped, and that’s when the trouble started. A 12-mile stretch of the highway was shut down from Tesuque Pueblo to Cuyamungue. One of the crashes even hurt a police officer from Pojoaque Pueblo.
Deputies were called to the first crash at 7:35 p.m. It involved three vehicles. One driver said his car started spinning when he hit the brakes, and he ended up crashing into another car and a police cruiser. He was only going 30 mph!
The officer who got hit had to go to the hospital for severe back pain. Thankfully, his police dog was okay; tribal officers took care of the pup after the crash. No other injuries were reported, but there was another crash nearby with several vehicles involved.
Pojoaque police even shared some winter driving tips on Facebook to help folks stay safe. They advised slowing down, keeping your gas tank half full, and avoiding sudden moves on the road.
Looking ahead, the National Weather Service is warning that temperatures will be lower than usual in Santa Fe and nearby areas. They’re predicting it could drop to 15 degrees Tuesday night and 19 degrees Wednesday night, which means more icy patches could pop up again.
