Collision kills two on I-40

    CIBOLA COUNTY - Two people died, while a daughter survived, in a head-on collision early on Nov. 15 near Prewitt.

    According to the Department of Public Safety, Oneyda Sanchez, 34, and Oriana Y. Sanchez-Madrid, 16, both of Phoenix, Ariz., were killed when the car they were in crossed through the median into the path of an eastbound semi-truck.

    Odalis Sanchez-Madrid, 13, daughter of the driver, survived the accident and was airlifted from the scene to University of New Mexico Hospital. She was listed in critical condition.

The driver of the semi, John Gaulke, was transported to Cibola-General Hospital and later released.

The three women were traveling westbound near mile marker 63 on I-40, just after 8 a.m. when the crash occurred. Through the investigation it was believed that the women's car was traveling at an unsafe speed for winter road conditions.

    The report related that the women had not been wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash and alcohol was not a contributing factor.