Sinkhole in Road Swallows Up N.M. Police Cruiser with Officer Inside

March 24, 2025

"Thankful, (the officer) walked away unharmed, just very muddy and wet!" said the Rio Rancho Police Department after an officer and his cruiser fell into a sinkhole from a water main break.

Source Officer.com News

Joe Vince

A Rio Rancho, NM, police officer was inside his cruiser when it fell into a sinkhole caused by a water main break Sunday.

A New Mexico police officer was uninjured after a sinkhole caused by a water main break over the weekend swallowed up the cruiser he was in.

The break happened in Rio Rancho at around 6 a.m., according to a social media post by the city. A photo posted on the police department's Facebook page later that morning shows a cruiser that's almost turned on its side and sitting on collapsed pavement.

"Thankful, (the officer) walked away unharmed, just very muddy and wet!" the department stated.

Following the break, the city said maintenance crews would need roughly 16 to 20 hours to repair the problem.

No details were released concerning damage done to the cruiser.

About the Author

Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.