High impact, head-on collision sends three to UMC Trauma

At least three people were transported to UMC Trauma in Las Vegas following a high-impact, head-on collision along Highway 372 at Red Rock Drive Monday afternoon.

A third vehicle was also involved in the crash, which shut down the highway in both directions as crews tended to the injured and worked to clear the scene.

Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Lewis said his crew was dispatched for a multi-vehicle accident with a possible ejection just before 4 p.m.

Lewis said upon his arrival, one of the occupants was being comforted by a Good Samaritan.

“We found one occupant was outside of their vehicle and was held in the arms of a passerby,” he said. “The remainder of the occupants were still inside their vehicles. A quick scene size-up and risk assessment found no additional scene hazards, however three patients met flight criteria.”

Lewis said two Mercy Air helicopters were summoned to the highway as patient care was transferred to the chopper personnel.

He also said one of the injured victims was a minor.

“One child was ejected from the confines of their safety seat inside the vehicle but never left the vehicle,” he said. “That patient as well as an additional one were both flown to UMC Trauma. The third occupant of the second vehicle was taken to Desert View Hospital and it is my understanding they were flown out several hours later.”

Lewis said the initial impact spun the vehicles into a third vehicle, which was sitting at a stop sign at that intersection.

Additionally, another vehicle collision occurred at Wilson Road and Lola Lane just minutes before the crash on the highway.

He credited the Nye County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance at both scenes.

“Quite frankly, the sheriff’s office did a great job because first dispatch went out as a two-vehicle accident with an unknown extent of injuries,” he said. “As we arrived on location within two minutes after that dispatch, the sheriff’s deputies informed us immediately that there was a non-injury accident with property damage only. They redirected us to the second call which appeared to be more serious, and in turn, it was.”

Lewis also said once crews cleared the Highway 372 crash, they returned to the Wilson Road collision.

“We went back to the Wilson Road accident to double-check and make sure there were no injuries reported and that was the case,” he said. “Fortunately for us, it was just a short distance to the second accident and we didn’t experience any service disruption whatsoever.”

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes