'Good Samaritan' killed in I-10 crash south of Las Cruces, police say

LAS CRUCES - New Mexico State Police announced Tuesday, Jan. 29 a 'Good Samaritan' was killed in a vehicle-pedestrian crash a day earlier on Interstate 10. 

State police responded to a reported vehicle-pedestrian crash about 4:45 p.m. Monday south of Las Cruces on the interstate.

The initial investigation indicates a 2001 Volkswagen driven by Garcia Talamantes, 18, of Mexico stalled out in the middle of westbound lanes on Interstate 10.

Byron Wade Cross, 46, of Sunland Park had stopped to assist Talamantes, when the Volkswagen was struck by a 2008 Chevrolet pick-up, according to state police. 

Immediately after the first collision, a 2002 Lincoln driven by Daniel A. Terrazas, 72, of Las Cruces approached the crash scene.

Terrazas swerved right to avoid a second collision with the Chevrolet and Volkswagen and struck Cross, who was standing on the right shoulder of the highway, according to state police.

Cross was transported to University Medical Center in El Paso, where he died from his injuries, authorities say.

Talamantes was issued a traffic citation for stopping on a roadway.

Terrazas was cited for an expired driver’s license, no insurance and careless driving, state police say. He was also arrested on an unrelated warrant out of Doña Ana County related to failure-to-appear in magistrate court. Terrazas was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center in the early-morning hours of Tuesday in connection to the warrant. 

Authorities are not releasing the name of the driver of the Chevrolet pick-up truck.

The crash occurred around Mile Post 159, which is in between Vado and Anthony, New Mexico.

State police had confirmed the pedestrian-vehicle crash Monday evening, but didn't release further information until Tuesday afternoon.