SANTA FE, NM - Authorities said several people were injured last week in multi-vehicle accidents in Santa Fe County that were attributed to sun glare, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
The pileup occurred on Interstate 25 near La Bajada on Wednesday morning at about 7 a.m, A spokesman for the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said motorists began slowing down and stopping after being blinded by the sun, causing a number of the vehicles to be rear-ended.
There were varying accounts of the numbers of vehicles and injuries involved, with the Santa Fe County Fire Department saying six people were hospitalized with minor to moderate injuries while the sheriff's office reported five people with minor injuries. Nine or ten vehicles were reported to have been involved.
The roadway was shut down to traffic while the wreckage was being cleared from the scene and the injured victims were transported. The sheriff's office said multiple citations would be issued in connection with the crash.