Dead Man’s Curve

So this is a sad one. There are several descansos at this curve in the road on State Road 68 in New Mexico on both sides of the road. The only one I could identify was Crystal Lane’s, and sadly she was killed by Santiago Mondragon who is memorialized on the opposite side of the road.

She had two daughters, one of whom was in the car with her when she was killed. The child survived thanks to the heroic response of passers by who braved the burning car to rescue the four year old.

Crystal also had a son, Favian, who came up while I was researching the accident. It turns out that he’s an incredible athlete … but both of his parents are dead.

Crystal was thirty nine.

The only article I could find wasn’t clear about why there are so many crosses here, but it does refer to the section of road as the “horseshoe” and says that residents have long complained about dangerous driving in the canyon.

The black descanso appears to also be Crystal, at least if I am correct in comparing this photo to the one on the cross.

The white descanso was clearly different, and I suppose if I wasn’t adhering to my “do not touch” mantra I could have figured out the name. But I do not touch these memorials.