Two Pedestrian Crashes in Las Cruces — One Dead, One Critically Injured — Raise Familiar Safety Concerns

Las Cruces, NM -Las Cruces police are investigating two separate pedestrian‑involved crashes — one fatal — that occurred within an eight‑hour window between late Monday night and early Tuesday morning. While the cases are unrelated, both follow a familiar pattern in the city’s ongoing struggle with roadway safety and pedestrian visibility.

The first crash happened just before 10 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29, near the 500 block of south Telshor Boulevard. Police say a Ford F‑150 traveling northbound struck a 54‑year‑old woman who was crossing the roadway. She was transported to Memorial Medical Center, where she later died from her injuries. Her name is being withheld pending notification of family.

Investigators report the woman was crossing east to west and was not in a marked crosswalk. The 55‑year‑old driver remained on scene and cooperated with officers.

A second crash was reported around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, on Triviz Drive just south of Spruce Avenue. In that case, a 74‑year‑old man was struck by a Chevrolet Cavalier that had just turned southbound onto Triviz. The 67‑year‑old driver also stayed on scene and cooperated with police.

The pedestrian was conscious and able to speak with officers before being airlifted to University Medical Center of El Paso, where he remains in critical condition. Police believe he, too, was outside a marked crosswalk.

In both incidents, investigators noted that the pedestrians were in the roadway and not using designated crossings. At this stage, police say they do not anticipate charges against either driver.

The two crashes add to a growing list of pedestrian‑related incidents in southern New Mexico, from Alamogordo to Las Cruces and beyond underscoring ongoing concerns about lighting, crosswalk placement, and driver awareness — issues that continue to surface even when individual cases differ.

Year‑Over‑Year Comparison of Pedestrian‑Related Roadway Incidents

Based on confirmed public‑safety reports, southern New Mexico saw a noticeable rise in serious pedestrian‑related roadway incidents from 2024 to 2025. In 2024, neither Alamogordo nor Las Cruces recorded multiple high‑profile pedestrian crashes within short time spans, and fatal pedestrian cases were isolated rather than clustered. 

By contrast, 2025 produced a sharper pattern: Las Cruces experienced two major pedestrian crashes within eight hours on December 29–30, including one fatality and one critical injury, while Alamogordo saw a fatal train‑versus‑pedestrian collision in June and the region recorded an additional pedestrian fatality in a July hit‑and‑run investigated by NMSP District 4.

Taken together, the 2025 incidents reflect both an increase in frequency and a broader geographic spread of severe pedestrian injuries and deaths compared to the previous year, underscoring growing concerns about roadway visibility, crosswalk use, and pedestrian safety across the region.

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