Two New Mexico residents were taken to the hospital Thursday morning after a traffic crash on U.S. Highway 550 north of Durango.

The crash occurred at 7:48 a.m. near Hermosa Meadows Road (County Road 255), which accesses Animas Valley Elementary School.

The driver of a 2014 blue Subaru Forester attempted to turn left from Hermosa Meadows Road to go south on Highway 550 but failed to see a 2005 silver Chevy Malibu traveling north on Highway 550, said Trooper Stephanie Guilfoil with the Colorado State Patrol.

The driver of the Subaru, Emily Miller, 34, of Durango, apparently didn’t see the approaching vehicle because her view was obstructed by a vehicle turning right onto Hermosa Meadows Road, Guilfoil said.

It almost looked like a head-on crash, but it will be classified as a T-bone accident, she said.

Miller was cited with careless driving causing bodily injury. She was not injured in the crash.

The driver and passenger in the Chevy were taken to Mercy Regional Medical Center, where they were treated and released. The driver was identified as Harold Anderson of Farmington and his passenger was identified as John Harvey, 53, of Kirtland.

Airbags deployed in both vehicles.

Neither drugs nor alcohol is suspected.

The center lane of the highway was closed while law enforcement investigated, but the highway was never completely closed.

shane@durangoherald.com