Riverside, Illinois man Yeats E. Brannik dies in rollover accident on Interstate 80 near Fernley
Submitted by editor on Mon, 01/19/2015 - 11:53am
An 18-year-old Riverside, Illinois man, Yeats E. Brannik, died Saturday in a single vehicle crash on Interstate 80 in Lyon County two miles east of Fernley, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol. Three other occupants, all Illinois residents, including a 17-year-old female were injured in the rollover crash in which two were ejected.
According to Trooper Dave Gibson approximately 5:10 am, NHP officers were dispatched to a single vehicle rollover accident that occurred on Interstate 80 at mile post 50 in Lyon County approximately 2 miles east of Fernley.
The crash investigation details indicate a 2001 green Volkswagen Beetle driven by Simonas Vanagas, 18, of Riverside, IL along with three occupants, Brannik, Matthew Pioch of Kingston, Illinois and the 17-year-old juvenile female also of Riverside where traveling westbound on I80 in the left travel lane.
Mr. Vanagas allowed the vehicle to drive off the south paved roadway edge and into the center median. Mr. Vanagas over corrected to the right which caused the vehicle to overturn across the westbound travel lanes. The juvenile female who was seated in the right front passenger seat and the right rear passenger (Yeats E. Brannik) were ejected from the vehicle. Both occupants who were ejected were not wearing their seatbelts. The other two occupants who were seat belted in their seats were not ejected.
The vehicle came to rest on its wheels facing east on the gravel shoulder just north of I80. Mr. Brannik was transported via Care Flight to Renown were he later died from his injuries.
The juvenile female and Mr. Pioch were both transported to Renown via ambulance with non-life threatening injuries. The juvenile female is currently at Renown recovering from an injured back but is alert and conscious. Mr. Pioch was treated for a sore back and released.
The driver Mr. Vanagas who had minor lacerations to in upper extremities consented to a legal blood draw. He was taken by law enforcement officers to Renown for assessment of his injuries and to gather a legal blood sample. He was also released from the hospital.
Interstate 80 westbound was shut down for several hours while the accident scene was investigated and diagramed. Fatigue may be a factor in the cause of the accident. This area of I80 is two lanes in each direction and the speed limit is 70 mph.
Trooper Doug Hildebrand 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) 689-4623 or dhildebrand@dps.state.nv.us regarding case number NHP-150101437.
