Truck crashes into Hobbs storage site

A truck hauling a Little Debbie’s trailer appeared to have driven across a vacant field, plowed through a security fence and crashed into a Hobbs storage facility Thursday, where it ultimately came to rest on top of a boat in the storage unit.

Hobbs police officers were at the scene investigating the one-vehicle crash at Adobe Storage, located at 1012 East Navajo, where significant damage to the facility could be observed from Navajo Road NE. Visible tire tracks, in the field to the east of the facility, showed part of the truck’s path to storage unit No. 42 and the fence outside of the units was on the ground. The truck landed in the unit, while other nearby units also sustained damage.

The Hobbs Police Department stated officers and the Hobbs Fire Department responded to the wreck around 10:16 a.m. Preliminary investigation showed the truck was traveling westbound on Navajo Drive when it left the roadway, drove through a fence and hit the building. The truck driver, identified as Clint Brady, 36, of Hobbs, was treated for minor injuries and arrested on charges of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs (second offense), possession of narcotic paraphernalia and careless driving. Brady was booked at the Hobbs City Jail pending arraignment on the charges in Hobbs Magistrate Court.

“Right now, we know that for whatever reason that vehicle left the roadway and ended up crashing into the storage buildings,” Hobbs Police Chief Chris McCall confirmed. “We do have the driver under arrest for DWI.”

The manager of Adobe Storage, Nita Chaney, didn’t hear anything from the crash. Chaney expressed relief the driver wasn’t hurt and said the facility’s owners had already planned to visit Hobbs from Ruidoso on Thursday.

“Well, we came over from Ruidoso to do a little work around,” Rex Beatty, co-owner of Adobe Storage, said. “We usually come over here every month or so and we drive up and we have a trailer come over through one of our storage buildings. Over the top of it.”

Beatty said his first thought on seeing the accident was: “I hope that guy’s got some insurance.”

“We have about four units that are affected, maybe a fifth one,” he added. “But a couple of those, the contents are probably not damaged, but I think probably two of them. One of the units has a boat, so I think he’s (the boat owner) probably got some issues.”

Beatty predicted fixing the damage will be a “six-month project,” since a lot is involved before they can start replacing it, noting some people will have to get their possessions out and some may not live in Hobbs. He also gave his take on how the accident happened.

“I think he went straight through a curb, instead of going around it, and drove all the way across that field,” Beatty said. “I think he drove through the field, trees and fences for, I think, at least a mile — maybe more than that — before he hit the building. Strange.”

The crash is under investigation by HPD traffic officers. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the department at 575-397-9275.

Kelly Farrell can be reached at 391-5437 or courts@hobbsnews.com.