Crash Shuts Down Main Hill Road Today

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on April 23, 2012
- 3:56 am

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Traffic Homicide Investigations Team processes the scene of a collision near Anderson Overlook late this afternoon. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

By Carol A. Clark

Following a two-vehicle crash on the Main Hill Road about 4 p.m. today, Santa Fe County Sheriff’ deputies charged the driver of a silver 2010 Harley Davidson motorcycle with DWI, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, careless driving and driving without a license.

Lt. Joe McLaughlin said that Peter M. Padilla, 47, of El Prado was airlifted to CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe with a dislocated left shoulder, a fractured left ankle and a closed head injury, adding that Padilla was not wearing a helmet.

The driver of the other vehicle is Rodney Dominguez, 44, of Los Alamos.

His wife Nancy was in the front passenger seat and the couple’s two juvenile age sons were riding in the back seat of the dark gray 2010 Toyota Tundra four-door truck when the crash occurred.

All four members of the family were transported to Los Alamos Medical Center by Ambulance complaining of neck pain, McLaughlin said. They were treated and released.

A crash investigator looks over the damaged truck. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

“The driver of the motorcycle was heading east when he crossed into the left lane at the curve near Anderson Overlook and collided with the truck, McLaughlin said. “Both vehicles sustained heavy damage to their respective left sides.”

Motorists were rerouted to the truck route for about two hours because the motorcycle came to rest in the middle of the road and investigators needed to complete their work before they reopened the road.

McLaughlin is the commander of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Investigations Team.

He explained at the scene that he activated the Traffic Homicide Investigations Team because of Padilla’s head injury.

“We didn’t know initially how serious his head injury would turn out to be,” McLaughlin said, adding that it is no longer considered life threatening.

Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com