Traffic being turned around outside of Socorro, near the rodeo grounds heading toward Magdalena due to the crash on Saturday, Dec. 4. Photo by Tracy Goldizen.

The New Mexico State Police Department continues to investigate a fatal crash on US 60 that occurred around 10 a.m. Saturday.

The Albuquerque Journal confirmed Magdalena Steers varsity girls basketball coach Marleen Greenwood, 49, and her young niece were killed in the three-vehicle crash.

Greenwood, who lived in San Antonio, N.M., was en route to Magdalena to coach her team in the afternoon at the school’s tournament.

The crash involved two pickup trucks and a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) carrying an oversized load near milepost 123 west of Socorro, according to a New Mexico State Police press release.

Initial investigation indicates that a Ford pickup truck driven by Greenwood, with an 8-year-old female passenger, was traveling west on US 60. The Ford pulled over to the right shoulder to yield to an oncoming east bound CMV carrying an oversized load. For reasons still under investigation, a Dodge pickup driven by a 74-year-old male, also traveling west on the highway rear ended the Ford, pushing it into the path of the oncoming CMV. The CMV and the Ford collided. Greenwood and the 8-year-old were both ejected from the vehicle and sustained fatal injuries. They were pronounced deceased on the scene.

The driver of the Dodge and the 58-year-old male driver of the CMV were uninjured. Alcohol does not appear to have been a factor in the crash and seatbelts do not appear to have been properly worn at the time of the crash. The crash remains under investigation.

The highway was temporarily closed from mile marker 113 to mile marker 136 on Saturday.

According to an announcement from Socorro County Options, Prevention, and Education, due to the crash school staff and counselors were available Saturday night at Midway Elementary from 5:30 to 7 p.m. to offer the community support.

El Defensor Chieftain