Las Cruces man on roadway killed in semitruck collision on I-10 in west El Paso County

El Paso police have identified a Las Cruces pedestrian killed Saturday night when he was hit by a semitruck in a collision that shut down Interstate 10 for hours in far west El Paso County.

The collision occurred about 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, near mile marker 5 on the westbound lanes of I-10 near the Vinton exit, police said. The death is under investigation by the police Special Traffic Investigations Unit.

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A preliminary investigation found that Michael Prendergast, 39, of Las Cruces, was driving a pickup eastbound on I-10 when he pulled over, police said. For unclear reasons, he crossed into the westbound lanes into the path of a semitruck.

The trucker could not stop in time and Prendergast was struck and died at the scene.

The truck driver was identified as Richard Martin Clennon, 59, of Buckeye, Arizona, and his passenger was Umer Jawed, 40, of Phoenix, police said. No charges were filed.

The Texas Department of Transportation said on the X platform that the westbound and eastbound lanes of the highway were closed with traffic being detoured near Transmountain Road due to the investigation. The freeway lanes were reopened by 2:30 a.m. Sunday, police said.

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An investigation by the police STI Unit continues.

This was the 15th traffic-related death in El Paso this year compared with 18 at this time in 2023, according to Police Department numbers.