On March 20, 2025, at approximately 6:58 a.m., the Nevada Highway Patrol, a division of the Nevada State Police, responded to a report of a crash at the location of US50 and Douglas County mile marker 10 in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. (This location is near Glenbrook Road and US50).
The preliminary investigation indicates that a 2010 Toyota Tacoma was traveling eastbound in the westbound travel lanes of US50. A 2023 Subaru Crosstrek was traveling westbound on US50 in the number one travel lane. The Subaru was occupied by a driver, front passenger and a rear juvenile passenger. The front right of the Toyota Tacoma struck the right front of the Subaru Crosstrek, killing the right front passenger of the Subaru Crosstrek.
The right front passenger of the Subaru Crosstrek, Brian Alonso Vazquez Gonzalez, a 24-year-old male from Carson City, was pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel.
The driver of the Subaru Crosstrek was transported to a local area hospital with life threating injuries.
The rear passenger of the Subaru, a properly restrained juvenile, was transported to a local area hospital with minor injuries.
Impairment is suspected in the case. The driver of the Toyota Tacoma, Stephen Michael Pawlowski, an adult male, was transported to a local area hospital with life threatening injuries. After receiving medical care, Pawlowski was released into the custody of the Nevada Highway Patrol and booked into the Douglas County Detention Center.
Pawlowski was booked into Douglas County Jail for the following alleged offenses: Vehicular homicide, driving left of center, failure to wear a seatbelt, DUI causing substantial bodily harm and failure to maintain lane. His bail $125,219.
The Nevada Highway Patrol Region Two (Northern Command) Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating this crash.
