1 killed in head on crash near Belen

BELEN, N.M. (KRQE) - A Valencia County crash claimed a life Saturday night, and sheriff's investigators said they suspect alcohol is involved.

Two trucks on a narrow rural road slammed into each other head on, killing one of the drivers. Deputies are trying to piece together exactly what happened.

The crash happened just after 7:00 p.m. Saturday on Highway 116 at the intersection with Mill Road.

One of the cars was a Dodge Truck and the other was a Ford Extended Cab.

Deputies said there was a lone male driver in the Dodge. Inside the Ford Truck was a man, his wife and two children. The children were the only ones wearing seatbelts.

Deputies said that first responders used the Jaws of Life to extract the driver from the Dodge. He was airlifted to University of New Mexico Hospital where he later died.

The woman from the other vehicle was also airlifted. Her husband and two children were transported by ambulance, and their conditions are not known.

Sheriff's deputies don't know how the crash happened, or who crossed lanes on the two lane highway.

Witnesses saw only the crash, not what led up to it.

Deputies said they won’t know which driver was drinking or how much they had to drink for at least two weeks.

Deputies are not releasing the names until they notify the victim's family.