NEW MEXICO (KTSM) – A criminal complaint obtained by KTSM names a New Mexico woman who was charged in a fatal crash that claimed the lives of two children and left a third person injured Sunday evening.
Christina Escobedo-Arriaga, 33, of Mesilla Park, was allegedly behind the wheel of a purple 2007 Dodge Charger when it crashed into an electric pole at 6:49 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10, near 8100 New Mexico Highway 478 in Vado. The collision reportedly threw two children from the vehicle. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Monday morning, the Gadsden Independent School District announced it was mourning the loss of a Gadsden High School student who died over the weekend. The student, a ninth grader, was part of the GHS community alongside an older sibling, who is currently an 11th-grade student at the same school.
School district officials told KTSM the student was involved in a crash that happened in Vado, New Mexico, over the weekend.
New Mexico Department of Transportation notified the public before 9 p.m. Sunday that the north and southbound lanes of NM Highway 478 at Franco Road were closed due to a “car accident.”
Monday morning, New Mexico State Police told KTSM that troopers had responded to a single-vehicle crash near 8100 Highway 478 around 6:50 p.m. after a vehicle struck a pole and stopped in front of a home on Sunday.
State Police later said the vehicle also struck a chain-link fence and a tree before coming to a stop.
The investigation into the crash that claimed two lives is ongoing, NMSP stated.
The court document identified the children who were ejected during the crash. Julilah and Steven were in the back seat of the vehicle and unresponsive when first responders arrived, stated the document. Emergency Medical Services confirmed that neither child had a pulse. A third occupant, identified as Osmar, sustained injuries and was treated at the scene.
State Police said the children who were killed were 15 and 12 years old. The passenger who was injured was also 15.
A seat belt appeared to be properly used by the surviving juvenile passenger, State Police said. Seatbelts did not appear to be used by the remaining occupants in the vehicle, State Police added.
Based on the investigation, alcohol is considered to be a contributing factor in the crash, State Police said.
A responding officer with NMSP noted in the report that an open 40-ounce bottle of Dos Equis beer was found in the vehicle. Deputies from the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office who arrived before State Police reported that Escobedo-Arriaga smelled of alcohol and appeared to be hallucinating following the crash.
Escobedo-Arriaga was taken by ambulance to MountainView Regional Medical Center for treatment. During an interview at the hospital, she admitted to investigators that she consumed “a couple” of alcoholic beverages earlier in the day and confirmed she had been driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Jail records show that Escobedo-Arriaga, 33, was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center on two counts of vehicular homicide. She was also charged with great bodily injury by a motor vehicle and driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. Troopers arrested Escobedo-Arriaga at 8100 Highway 478 late Sunday night.
No bond was issued to Escobedo-Arriaga, according to jail records.
School district officials on Monday expressed their condolences to the family, students, and staff impacted by the tragedy.
“Our hearts are broken,” Gadsden ISD Superintendent Travis Dempsey said. “We will stand beside our students, staff, and this family in love and support through this difficult time.”
In response to the loss, the district has mobilized counselors, wellness room specialists, and mental health professionals to support the Gadsden High School community. These services are available to any student or staff member in need, and the district is urging individuals to seek help if they are struggling.
A blood draw warrant was secured and executed at the hospital, the trooper stated in the report. Samples were collected and submitted for analysis by the New Mexico Scientific Laboratory Division. The findings of the blood kit sample that was submitted remained unknown at the time this news article was published.
