Santa Fe County deputy cited for rear-ending police car on I-25

By KOB

SANTA FE COUNTY, N.M. — A Santa Fe County deputy was cited for allegedly rear-ending a police car near a nine-vehicle pileup Monday morning on Interstate 25.

The pileup happened at mile marker 266, near La Bajada, causing backups while deputies investigated.

Around two miles behind the crash, at mile marker 264, another deputy was driving in traffic as vehicles began to slow down. As that happened, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office says that deputy crashed into the back of a police car.

Sheriff’s office officials drug and alcohol tested the deputy and an on-duty commander took an incident report. They found the deputy was at fault for the crash. They also cited him for following too closely.

The sheriff’s office identified the deputy as Patrick Hein. An accident review board will handle any further action on Deputy Hein internally.

No major injuries were reported in either crash. They cleared the vehicles from the roadway shortly after 9 a.m. Monday.