A pedestrian was hurt early Friday morning when a driver struck them on Idaho Avenue in Las Cruces and then kept driving, according to police. The crash happened around 6 a.m. near the intersection with Foster Road, and officers have not identified the driver or recovered the vehicle.
According to KTSM, a vehicle heading eastbound on Idaho Avenue struck a pedestrian who was crossing the roadway just west of its intersection with Foster Road. The vehicle continued eastbound after hitting the pedestrian, the outlet reported, leaving the scene without stopping. As KDBC also reported, the pedestrian was injured in the crash, and Las Cruces police are asking anyone with information to come forward.
There's some discrepancy in how the crash site has been described. KTSM placed the collision just west of Idaho Avenue and Foster Road, while a separate report spelled the cross street as Forster Road rather than Foster Road. Police have not clarified which spelling is correct.
No Vehicle Description Yet, Police Say
Investigators have not been able to pin down what kind of vehicle they're looking for. Police told reporters they don't have a confirmed description of the vehicle involved, the station's report notes. That gap leaves the search for the driver largely dependent on witnesses who were in the area around 6 a.m.
Details about the injured pedestrian's condition also remain unclear. The same outlet's report said it had not been given any information on the pedestrian's status, leaving open whether the injuries were minor or more serious.
A Second, Deadlier Crash on the Same Street
Idaho Avenue has seen tragedy before. In a separate case from Sunday, Oct. 30, 36-year-old Shane Brown died after being struck by two vehicles near Idaho Avenue and Locust Street, with the first vehicle fleeing the scene, per KTSM's earlier coverage. Investigators in that case said a westbound Jeep ran a stop sign at Idaho and Locust, briefly drove onto the wrong side of the road and sidewalk, and struck a rock wall before hitting Brown. Criminal charges were pending against that Jeep's driver, according to the same report.
It's not yet clear whether Friday's hit-and-run and the fatal Locust Street crash are connected in any way, and nothing in the available reporting ties the two incidents together beyond their shared stretch of roadway.
How to Help the Investigation
Las Cruces police are asking anyone who witnessed Friday's crash, or who has information about the vehicle or driver involved, to contact the department's non-emergency line at 575-526-0795. Officers said they will release more information as it becomes available, but as of Friday morning, both the vehicle and the person behind the wheel remained unidentified.
