Details of fatal accident released

RIO RANCHO — A fatal accident on NM 528 Feb. 2 was detailed in police narratives released to the Observer Feb. 9.

According to those documents, the person who died in the accident was identified as Patrick Bartlow, age 19 or 20, of Rio Rancho.

Police were called to NM 528 near Hilltop Plaza for a motorcycle on vehicle accident.

The motorcyclist, Bartlow, was laying in the northbound lanes of the roadway and appeared unresponsive, according to the narratives. He had severe injuries to his arms and legs with no protective gear nor helmet on.

Officers found the bike in the westbound lanes of Hilltop Plaza Road. The narrative noted that it was a dirt bike, which had no license plate and was determined not to be street legal.

The other vehicle was stopped in the eastbound lanes of Hilltop Plaza Road with heavy front-end damage. The airbags were deployed and the front windshield was caved inward.

The driver of the other vehicle also sustained injuries.

The driver, according to the narratives, said she was southbound on NM 528 in the left turn bay. She stopped, then proceeded across the northbound lanes of traffic with a green light. She did not see the dirt bike in the northbound lanes until she was crossing the third lane. The dirt bike was traveling fast toward her, she told police. She struck on the front passenger portion of her vehicle. 

She was transported to the hospital, and Bartlow was pronounced dead at the scene due to his injuries.