Fatal accident on Highway 50 near Dayton this morning
A 26-year-old Las Vegas woman died this morning in an accident on Occidental Circle, four miles east of Dayton, the Nevada Highway Patrol reports.
The accident happened at around 9 a.m and involved two vehicles that collided, said NHP Trooper Chuck Allen. A preliminary crash investigation has revealed that a silver 2006 Dodge Neon was traveling west on the four-lane highway when the driver, 26-year-old Wendy Ann Geddie of Las Vegas, lost control of her vehicle.
The surface of the highway was icy as the Dodge Neon spun out and traveled into the opposing eastbound travel lanes and into the path of an east bound vehicle, Allen said. The right rear portion of the Dodge sedan was struck by the front of an eastbound 2004 grey Hummer H2 SUV that was being driven by Bonnie Raymond, 59, of Carson City.
Geddie sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her family members were notified of her death shortly after the collision. Ms. Raymond was initially transported to Carson-Tahoe Hospital before being transferred to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno. Her injuries appear to be relatively minor in nature and she may be released sometime later today, Allen said.
The accident blocked one lane in both directions of the four-lane highway while troopers from the Major Accident Investigation Team investigated the scene. Witnesses to the crash are encouraged to call Trooper Mike Stapledon (775) 689-4623 regarding case # NHP-1012300487.
As a reminder to all motorists, when roadway surfaces are wet, icy, or snow-covered, please adjust your driving habits to the current weather conditions, Allen said. Speed too fast for conditions is most often the leading contributing factor to spin-outs, slide-offs and motor vehicle accidents when roadway surfaces are wet and slick.
Additional safety tips for winter driving include maintaining a safe following distance with other traffic as well as minimizing distractions within the vehicle.