Police identify crash victim

The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department on Saturday identified a 17-year-old girl who died Friday evening in a one-car accident on Camino La Tierra as Cailin Icken, who lived with her family on West Wildflower Drive in Las Campanas.

A sheriff's report said she was alone in the 2007 Toyota Corolla about 5:30 p.m. when it left the roadway and she overcorrected. The car skidded sideways, struck an embankment and partially ejected Icken through a sun roof.

Icken was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, Sheriff Greg Solano said. He said an autopsy showed she died from blockage of her airway.

Crews quick to get wildfire under control

Wildland firefighters worked into Saturday evening to control a fire in the Pecos Canyon off N.M. 63.

Early reports said a downed power line may have sparked what was dubbed the Pequiño Fire, which by 8 p.m. had burned between 10 and 20 acres on state land near Dalton Canyon, according to Dan Ware, State Forestry Division public information officer.

State Forestry firefighters, Pecos Fire Department and Santa Fe Hot Shots quickly brought the fire under control, helped by weakening winds and cooler evening temperatures, Ware said.

The fire was burning in Ponderosa pine. Fire crews planned to watch the area through the night to make sure no hot spots started new fires.

Santa Fe Ride gets new wheels

The Santa Fe Ride Program, which provides paratransit services for elderly and disabled passengers, has acquired four new Honda Civic sedans that run on compressed natural gas, or CNG.

Using $60,000 from a state clean-energy grant program, the city purchased what a regional representative for American Honda said is the first fleet in the country to feature CNG sedans.

The new vehicles, along with one of six new smaller Santa Fe Trails buses, will be on display on Marcy Street, near the south entrance to City Hall, during Wednesday's scheduled 5 p.m. City Council meeting.

A city press release said the council plans to recognize Louise Martinez and Colin Messer of the state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, who were instrumental in securing the grant.

Donation honors slain police officer

Girls Inc. of Santa Fe says it has received a "generous gift" and a challenge match honoring State Police Officer Susan Quintana Kuchma, a Santa Fe native who was killed in an off-duty incident four months ago in Las Cruces.

The nonprofit program for girls and young women announced that Sydney and Andrew Davis, a mutual fund manager, contributed an unspecified amount and will match new gifts given in 2008 honoring Kuchma.

The announcement said the officer's cousin, Lori Diehl of Santa Fe, described Kuchma, who was one of only 21 women on the New Mexico State Police force, as "a great role model for young women."

The initial gift will enable Girls Inc. to increase the number of girls served to between 360 and 370 this year, up from 325 last year. The challenge match would help the organization toward its goal of serving 800 girls by 2012, the announcement said.

Forum scheduled for district candidates

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 477 has invited all 3rd Congressional District candidates to a public forum next week, president Arcy Baca said.

Six Democrats, two Republicans and two independents are seeking the Northern New Mexico congressional seat.

The forum is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the AFSCME Union Hall, 1406 Fourth St.

DOT not liable in fatal 2004 crash

A Rio Arriba County jury has found the state Department of Transportation not liable in a wrongful death case filed by relatives of a couple and their unborn child killed in a December 2004 crash on N.M. 502.

The plaintiffs alleged that an accumulation of red cinders spread on the roadway during snow removal operations caused the driver of another vehicle headed in the opposite direction to crash into the couple's vehicle, according to a department news release.

However, District Five maintenance personnel who conducted routine inspections reported no unsafe accumulations of cinders, the department said. Also, reports, photographs and video from the Santa Fe County Sheriff Department's investigation of the crash scene didn't indicate any loose material in the roadway, the Transportation Department said.

The driver of the other vehicle was reported to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of the crash, the statement said.

Bicyclists invited to join convoy

The city of Santa Fe is inviting anyone with a bicycle to join in an environmental awareness event Wednesday.

Students from Seattle who received a ceremonial tree in Washington, D.C., are riding through cities — including Santa Fe — that have signed on to Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels' climate protection program.

On their journey, the students are collecting signatures from governors, mayors and students in a show of support and commitment to protecting the environment.

The city is inviting local bicyclists to join in a convoy into Santa Fe, with a police escort, starting at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Harry's Roadhouse on Old Las Vegas Highway and ending at the Santa Fe River between Don Gaspar Avenue and Galisteo Street.

For more information on the cross-country journey, visit www.inconvenientride.com.

Fire near Lovington forces evacuations

LOVINGTON — A wind-fueled grass fire burned thousands of acres, destroyed a barn and forced the evacuation of at least three homes, a state Forestry Division spokesman said.

The Buckeye 4 fire sparked early Saturday afternoon and was consuming grass and brush while spreading to the east of Lovington, said Dan Ware. A shelter was set up at a local cafeteria, he said.

Investigators have not determined what caused the fire and likely won't look into that until the flames are under control, Ware said.

Ware said air tankers and crews would remain on the scene through the evening.

"Air resources were very effective in slowing the spread, but it's still windy, and there's still a lot of fuel," he said.

State police had shut down both lanes of N.M. 328 near Lovington and a two-mile stretch of U.S. 82 in both directions, said state police spokesman Sgt. Andrew Tingwall.

The National Weather Service posted red flag warnings until 8 p.m. Saturday for southwestern and south-central New Mexico because of low humidity, strong winds and extreme fire danger.

Man charged with 11th DWI

GALLUP — McKinley County sheriff's Sgt. Tom Mumford has seen countless drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

But when he busted a Fort Wingate man on his 11th DWI charge, he shook his head in bewilderment. "Hopefully this guy is put away," he said.

Precopio Montaño, 53, was arrested Friday morning after Mumford found Montaño's vehicle stuck in a ditch. "When I arrived on scene, the driver had the strong smell of alcohol on his breath and could barely stand, he was so intoxicated," Mumford said.

Not only was Montaño driving on a revoked license, Mumford said, he had no insurance, and his vehicle's registration was expired.

Montaño was booked at the Gallup-McKinley Adult Detention Center.