A fatal 18-wheeler accident was reported on February 23, 2026, in New Mexico, after a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office sergeant was conducting a traffic stop on westbound I-40 near Carnuel (around mile marker 170). Investigators report the sergeant had exited his patrol unit when a semi-truck struck the rear of the department vehicle, pinning him underneath. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
When a law enforcement officer (or any roadside worker or motorist) is struck during a stop on an active interstate, investigators typically focus on what the truck driver could see, what warnings were present, how traffic was flowing, and whether the driver had enough time and distance to safely react.