This morning shortly before 9:00 am, troopers from the Nevada Highway Patrol were dispatched to a multiple-vehicle crash on US Highway 50 in Lyon County, approximately 10 miles east of Dayton near mile marker 21 or just several hundred feet west of Caroline Way. The crash investigation details learned so far indicate that a 1989 Dodge pick pulling a double-axle livestock trailer carrying 8 young steers or heifers was traveling eastbound on the two-lane highway. Following behind the Dodge and green trailer was a 1995 Ford F-250 towing a white livestock trailer carrying 7 full grown cows. Both of these pickups had only one passenger riding in the cab.

Traveling westbound approaching the Dodge truck was a GMC crew cab pickup towing a 2-axle flatbed trailer transporting a piece of equipment labeled as an electric scissor lift. Witnesses to the event stated the Dodge pick-up veered into the oncoming lane possibly because the livestock trailer was swerving back and forth or fishtailing. The front of the Dodge struck the left front portion of the GMC pick-up in the westbound travel lane. Upon colliding, both pick-ups caught fire while the green livestock trailer separated or became unhitched from the truck. The green trailer struck the concrete barrier on the north roadway edge and then veered into the eastbound lane where it struck the eastbound white Ford pickup. The Ford pickup and white trailer remained hitched and skidded off the south roadway edge. The white trailer remained upright while the Ford rolled over onto its right side.

The driver of the Dodge truck sustained very serious injuries and was taken from the scene by Care Flight to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno while the two occupants of the Ford were transported by ground ambulance to Renown with moderate injuries. The passenger in the Dodge pickup and all 3 occupants of the GMC pickup perished at the scene. The names of all of the victims in today’s tragedy should be released by mid-morning tomorrow to include ages and cities of residency and it appears that all seven are from Northern Nevada.

Meanwhile, the green trailer overturned and ejected all 8 yearlings. One died at the scene and the other 7 had some visible injuries. 6 of the 7 were gathered quickly and placed into a holding pen by local residents in the area while the other yearling remained loose. The seven adult cows did not appear to be injured at all. All 14 bovines were later transported to Fallon to be checked by a veterinarian. The animals were apparently being transported from the Dayton area to the Fallon Livestock Exchange.

The highway was closed immediately following the collision and is expected to be completely re-opened by 4:30 pm this afternoon. Personnel from the Nevada Department of Transportation and Granite Construction assisted our agency with the traffic dilemma by rerouting traffic on the adjacent sides of the highway.

Trooper Doug Hildebrand of the Major Accident Investigation Team or M.A.I.T. is investigating this case. Witnesses to the event are encouraged to call him at (775) 689-4623 regarding case number NHP-120814458.