Crash at Piñon Hills and College snarls traffic

FARMINGTON — A 15-year-old girl was cited this afternoon after police said she caused a two-vehicle crash that delayed traffic at Piñon Hills and College boulevards.

Farmington police spokeswoman Georgette Allen said the teenager was driving a Mini Cooper west on Piñon Hills when she failed to see a red light as she made a left turn onto College Boulevard. Her vehicle collided with a red pick-up truck driven by a 62-year-old woman, Allen said.

The driver of the Mini Cooper was cited for failure to yield, according to Allen.

Both parties had minor injuries, and Allen said the 15-year-old was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center by her mother for a medical evaluation.

The crash was reported at 12:35 p.m., and police shut down eastbound traffic on Piñon Hills at College while they investigated.

In New Mexico, teenagers who are at least 15 1/2 can obtain a provisional drivers license after completing an instructional period, according to the state Motor Vehicle Department website.

The license prohibits driving between midnight and 5 a.m., and allows the driver to have no more than one passenger under the age of 21 who is not an immediate family member inside the car.