A pedestrian was struck and killed by a car before 5 a.m. Wednesday in northwest Albuquerque, shutting down a major intersection during the morning commute. The person died at the scene, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.
The crash closed the intersection of 2nd Street and Osuna Road in both directions, according to KOAT. BCSO said the intersection would remain closed in all directions while deputies carried out their investigation, and drivers were urged to avoid the area and find an alternate route.
For commuters navigating around the closure, the station listed a few workarounds: 4th Street to the west, Montano Road to the south, and Edith Boulevard to the east. No further details on the circumstances of the crash, including the victim's identity, have been released.
A Stretch of Road With a History of Serious Wrecks
This is not the first serious crash reported at or near this stretch of 2nd Street. KOB previously reported on a rollover crash at the same intersection of 2nd Street and Osuna Road, in which a truck flipped onto its side; BCSO confirmed alcohol was a factor in that incident. Separately, KOAT reported another fatal pedestrian crash nearby at Second Street and Bowers Road, where the pedestrian also died at the scene and had not been identified in that report.
KRQE also reported on a fatal pedestrian crash near Paseo Del Norte and 2nd Street, in which the cause of the crash and the victim's identity had not been released at the time of that report. Wednesday's crash adds to a string of incidents along the corridor that have drawn sheriff's office response and road closures in recent memory.
Pedestrian Deaths Have Been Trending Down Regionally
Even as individual tragedies continue to occur, the broader numbers tell a somewhat different story. Albuquerque and nearby roadways recorded 43 fatal pedestrian crashes in 2025, down from 50 in 2024 and a record-high 56 in 2023, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Statewide, New Mexico recorded 89 pedestrian deaths in 2025, down from 102 the year before and the lowest total since 2020, per the same report.
A Governors Highway Safety Association report cited by the Journal ranked New Mexico ninth in the nation for pedestrian death rate, with 1.27 fatal pedestrian crashes per 100,000 people between January and June, down from 2.49 over that same span in 2024. Still, the newspaper noted that 19 people had been killed by drivers across New Mexico so far in 2026 as of its April reporting, including six in Bernalillo County and five within Albuquerque city limits.
Some of the improvement has been tied to specific infrastructure changes. A UNM professor cited by the Journal found a 65% drop in serious-injury and fatal crashes along Central Avenue where a lane was removed for Albuquerque Rapid Transit. Separately, the New Mexico Department of Transportation has pointed to pedestrian hybrid beacons as a tool with the potential to reduce pedestrian fatalities by up to 45%, based on findings from its 2023 Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment.
None of those regional trends explain what happened Wednesday morning at 2nd Street and Osuna Road, where deputies were still working the scene as the intersection remained closed. Drivers in the area should continue to expect delays and plan alternate routes until the sheriff's office clears the investigation.
