Motorcycle-vehicle collision sends rider to Albuquerque hospital

FARMINGTON — A vehicle-motorcycle collision near Flora Vista Tuesday landed a motorcycle rider on a flight to an Albuquerque hospital and left two others at the local hospital for treatment.

Law enforcement and first responders were dispatched to a vehicle collision around 2:40 p.m. to an area on New Mexico Highway 516 between Flora Vista and Aztec, according to San Juan County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Jayme Harcrow.

The initial call to dispatch was from an occupant of the vehicle who said a motorcycle rear-ended them, according to Harcrow.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation. The Sheriff's Office, paramedics and San Juan County firefighters responded to the scene.

Two occupants of the Ford Mustang and the rider of the motorcycle were transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center. Harcrow did not have information on their conditions.

The motorcycle rider was flown from Farmington to a hospital in Albuquerque.

Harcrow cited a comment on a post on the department's Facebook page stating the rider had injuries, including a broken ankle, jaw and pelvis, and broken ribs.

Eastbound traffic was diverted onto County Road 350 while westbound traffic was restricted to one lane during the investigation.

The Sheriff's Office posted photos of the vehicles involved in the collision to its Facebook page to quash false narratives about the scene, according to Harcrow.

The highway was reopened around 5:05 p.m.