UPDATE: Right lane now open on Highway 70 from Sonoma Ranch to Mesa Grande.
Las Cruces police responded to a rollover crash Tuesday morning at about 7:30. It happened on Highway 70 East, and a portion of the highway between Sonoma Ranch and Mesa Grande was temporarily closed while police conducted their investigation.
In a post on social media, police say preliminary information indicates the driver of a pickup may have suffered a medical episode that led to his vehicle hitting the cable barriers that divide the highway. The pickup then struck another eastbound vehicle. The driver of the pickup died, but no injuries were reported in the second vehicle. The deceased man has not been identified.
Police also reported a westbound crash they say may have been caused by driver inattention and asked drivers on westbound traffic to refrain from rubbernecking or taking pictures while driving through the area.
The investigation is expected to be taken over by the New Mexico State Police.