An elderly woman died in a two vehicle crash Wednesday morning on Highway 95 in Esmeralda County, a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper said. Three others sustained non-life threatening injuries.
The crash investigation details learned so far indicate a 2006 white Dodge Caravan was traveling northbound on U.S. 95 when for unknown reasons at this time the driver, a 60-year-old Tonopah man, who had two other passengers, drifted off the right shoulder and over corrected, said Trooper Dave Gibson.
When the Dodge Caravan came back onto the highway it rotated to the left into the path of a black Toyota Prius traveling southbound which was driven by a 56-year-old Petaluma, Calif., woman. The front of the Prius collided with left side of the Dodge Caravan ejecting the left rear passenger, an elderly female, from the vehicle, where she died of her injuries. She was not wearing her seatbelt, said Gibson.
The driver and front passenger of the Dodge van and the driver of the Toyota Prius were all transported to Nye Regional Medical Center with serious non-life threatening injuries. U.S. 95 had delayed traffic for several hours while the NHP investigated the crash scene.
The speed limit in this area of U. S. Highway 95 in Esmeralda Co. is 70 mph. Alcohol is not a factor in the cause of the accident. The name of the deceased is being withheld until family can be notified.
Trooper Chris Kelly of the Nevada Highway Patrol’s Multi-Disciplinary Investigation and Reconstruction Team (MIRT) is investigating this incident. Anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who may have information related to this incident is encouraged to reach out to him at (775) 689-4661 or ckelly@dps.state.nv.us regarding case number NHP-141101050.