By Kevin Buey
Deming Headlight
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Law enforcement continues its 100 Days and Nights of Summer patrols for almost another month.
The annual state-sponsored exercise has been successful in reducing the number of impaired drivers on
If you think seatbelts don’t matter, check with Luna County Sheriff’s Capt. Arturo Baeza.
Baeza, on his way to Las Cruces last Thursday morning during some free time, was in a one-vehicle accident. He rolled his GMC pickup twice at about 11:20 a.m., and walked away from the totaled vehicle with only a laceration on the back of his left hand. He was wearing his seatbelt.
“I was headed for
“I blew the left rear tire. It was like driving on ice. It kept skidding. I went off the right side of the road. It overturned twice and it landed on its wheels.”
Baeza said he was doing about 60 miles an hour when the tire blew and the vehicle twisted to the left and rolled counterclockwise as it overturned. The trailer hitch disconnected and the trailer did not overturn with the vehicle.
“Five windows broke,” Baeza said of all but one passenger window shattering.
A passing semi-tractor-trailer driver stopped and called 911. Las Cruces firefighters and emergency medical technicians responded, along with the New Mexico State Police.
Experience deputies and officers receive in driving courses certainly counted in this instance, Baeza says.
“I didn’t panic,” he said. “I just tried to steer out of it.”
The entire tread separated from the left rear tire, Baeza said. The 2001 GMC half-ton pickup -- his personal vehicle -- was totaled. It is paid for and insured, but, he said, insurance usually doesn’t completely cover the loss.
Baeza said he was fortunate he was by himself and the accident didn’t bounce anyone else around in the vehicle.
“Thank God I had my seatbelt on,” Baeza says.
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