GRANTS, NM – A truck hauling a trailer crashed into the train bridge overlooking Fifth Street in Grants, the driver was later arrested for driving while intoxicated.
The commercial motor vehicle crash blocked traffic at Fifth Street and Santa Fe Avenue on the evening of September 18. The incident occurred when a Volvo tractor towing a Vanguard dry box trailer became wedged under the BNSF train bridge, causing significant damage to both the truck and the trailer, according to Grants Police Department.
At approximately 8:15 p.m., Grants Police Department officers were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of the crash from Cibola Regional dispatch. Upon arrival, police found the truck lodged under the bridge, with the trailer’s front peeled back about eight feet, exposing its cargo of paper products.
The truck, which had Illinois and Maine license plates, sustained extensive damage, including a torn back panel and a compromised trailer hitch and floor, rendering the vehicle inoperable.
The driver of the truck, identified as Denise Henson, who is not from New Mexico or affiliated with any non-profit organization in Grants, stated she was traveling from Vaughn, NM, en route to California. However, when asked how she ended up on Fifth Street, she expressed confusion, saying she did not know how she arrived at that location. Police observed signs of possible intoxication, noting Henson's slurred speech, constricted pupils, and the odor of alcohol on her breath in reports.
After administering Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, which Henson failed, police arrested her on suspicion of Aggravated Driving While Under the Influence (DWI) of intoxicating liquor or drugs. Henson refused to provide a breath sample when asked to comply with the state’s Implied Consent Advisory.
According to the crash report, Henson was driving north on Fifth Street when her vehicle became stuck under the train bridge, marked with a clearance of 11 feet 2 inches. The police investigation found that Henson had not verified the truck's height before attempting to drive under the bridge.
Authorities also reviewed Henson's driver logs, discovering only one entry dated September 11, 2024, with no further documentation of her recent driving activity.
Due to the extent of the damage and the truck’s position, additional equipment and personnel were required to offload the cargo. The truck’s removal resumed the following morning, and Fifth Street remained closed to traffic overnight.
Personnel from the BNSF Railroad also responded to inspect the bridge and determined there was no significant structural damage. The City of Grants Road Department set up barricades on both sides of the bridge to prevent further traffic from passing through the area.
On the morning of September 19, the vehicle and its cargo were successfully removed, and the roadway reopened to traffic by 10 a.m.
Later on September 19, Henson was seen in the courtroom of Magistrate Court Judge Johnny Valdez where she pleaded not guilty to all three charges: Aggravated DWI Driving While Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor/Drug(Refused Testing)(1st); Careless Driving (Careless, Inattentive or Imprudent); Record of Duty Status - False Log Book. Henson was released on her own recognizance.
The incident remains part of an ongoing DWI investigation, though the crash investigation is now considered closed.