Motorcyclist killed, another injured in crashes near New Mexico-Arizona line
Special to the Times | Donovan Quintero
Bryan Tom, far right, stands at attention and salutes passing bike riders participating in the 2025 Run For The Wall bike run in Sanders, Ariz., on Thursday.
PAGE, Ariz.
A 71-year-old motorcyclist from Gamerco, New Mexico, died Thursday afternoon following a collision with a pickup truck on Interstate 40 near the New Mexico-Arizona state line.
Another motorcyclist, identified as a member of the Run for the Wall staging crew, lost control of their motorcycle and was airlifted to a hospital, according to the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office.
The first accident occurred around 2:04 p.m. near the half-mile marker on I-40, just before the large bridge crossing the railroad tracks. McKinley County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded shortly after the incident was reported.
“The Run For The Wall staging crew was coming through the state line and one of the motorcycles in the stack, for an unknown reason, lost control and ended up in the center median of Interstate 40 … between the east and westbound lanes,” McKinley County Sheriff James Maiorano told the Navajo Times Friday morning. “That rider was listed in critical condition when deputies and medical staff arrived. That rider was from out of state.”
The motorcyclist, who sustained critical injuries, was airlifted to Flagstaff Medical Center in Flagstaff.
“As traffic was slowing for the first crash, … a second motorcyclist, not involved in the (Run for the Wall) staging crew, but a local motorcycle rider from the Gamerco area, rearended a pickup truck in the right-hand lane and was ejected from the motorcycle and was pronounced dead on scene.”
Maiorano said the Gamerco rider was believed to be en route to the Run for the Wall event at the Red Rock Park in Church Rock, New Mexico.
“But he was not part of that initial staging crew that had the first accident,” Maiorano said. “So he wasn’t traveling with that pack. That is our understanding from the witness statement.”
Ted Kapner, the director of public relations and communication for the Run for the Wall, confirmed that one of the Run for the Wall participants was involved in an accident and was transported to FMC.
“The second accident, that I believe was unrelated, that involves someone who was not part of our group,” Kapner explained.
The incidents remain under investigation. The McKinley County Sheriff’s Office is awaiting final confirmation on the condition of the motorcyclist involved in the first accident before completing its report. The initial crash report is expected to be available to the public by Tuesday, May 20.
The Run for the Wall is a coast-to-coast motorcycle ride that has taken place annually since 1989. Over 10 days, riders travel from Ontario, California, to Washington, D.C., to honor and support veterans nationwide.
“We ride to support our veterans from all wars and to bring about awareness for POWs and MIAs … and to honor those who are killed in action or wounded in action,” Kapner explained, “and to provide a place for healing for those who’ve come back from serving our country and who may be suffering from wounds that you cannot see.”
One of the highlights of the journey is the stop in Church Rock, said Kapner. He noted that organizers host a “fantastic” ceremony featuring a drumline, where riders not only participate but also take time to learn about the Diné culture and the vital role the Diné played during World War II.
“We want to bring about an awareness to that,” he added. “That’s one of the reasons we stop there. They really welcome us by rolling out the red carpet and putting on a fantastic show and seating an entire group of riders, which is about 350 motorcyclists right now.
“It’s really one of the highlights for the Run for the Wall. And it stands out of all the stops … on this 10-day ride.”
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow