Fatal accident being investigated

PORTALES — State police are still investigating an incident Monday morning in which a motorist fatally struck a bicyclist on the highway just north of Portales.

A 44-year old man from Australia “was riding his bicycle south on US 70 partially in the right lane of the roadway” when a 43-year old Clovis woman “struck the bicyclist from behind” in her 2016 Ford F-150, according to a news release Tuesday from New Mexico State Police.

Officials declined to release the name of either individual involved; the driver is “not facing any criminal charges, pending outcome of the investigation” and the bicyclist’s name won’t be shared until his next of kin is notified.

“It is also unknown and undetermined how long he was here in the United States and why he was riding his bike on the roadway,” NMSP public information officer Dusty Francisco told The News in an email.

Police responded to the incident around 8:39 a.m., said the release. The bicyclist was “pronounced deceased on scene by the Office of Medical Investigator” and the Ford driver was uninjured.

“Driver inattention appears to be a contributing factor in the crash,” continued the release. “The case is still under investigation with the assistance of the New Mexico State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit.”