Two men from Artesia and Texas who were killed late Wednesday morning in a head-on collision near Malaga have been identified.
The New Mexico State Police responded around 11 a.m. Wednesday to U.S. 285, mile marker 14, in reference to a wreck between a 2008 Ford pickup and 2015 Chevrolet pickup.
Flames had erupted between the two vehicles.
Initial investigation revealed the Ford, driven by Ricky L. Swafford, 50, of Fairhope, Alabama, was travelling north on U.S. 285 when, for reasons not yet determined, it crossed the center stripe and collided head on with the southbound Chevrolet, driven by Chad Rodriquez, 26, of Artesia.
Both Rodriquez and Swafford sustained fatal injuries.
The incident remains under investigation.
