Two people died in two separate traffic accidents Monday evening.

"I think it's a tragedy anytime someone loses their life on this time of season," said Martha Dodson of Central El Paso.

New Mexico state police tired to identify a man killed in a car accident on O'Hara Road near Highway 404 just before 6 p.m. in Chaparral.

In El Paso, a man died following a crash Interstate 10 near the Geronimo Drive exit. Police said the car hit the center concrete divider on I-10 westbound.

Investigators said after the accident, the driver and the passenger tried to cross I-10 eastbound but it proved to be a deadly move.

"The driver of the vehicle made it," said El Paso Police Department public information officer Chris Mears. "Tragically the passenger didn't and was struck by more than one car and tragically died at the scene."

"It's distressful to hear something like that -- I almost don't believe it," said Kamal Shamlon of West El Paso. "Somebody just goes across and gets killed in that way."

Authorities said a semi-truck was also involved in the accident. Police shut down I-10 in both directions for hours while investigators tried to learn more about what happened.

"We know that this just ruined someone's Christmas," Mears said. The family of the gentlemen that was killed…you that their Christmas is just ruined."

At last report, New Mexico State Police investigators were still looking for the driver of another semi-truck and the driver of a car which may have been involved in the Chaparral accident.