Six people were injured in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of State Route 160 and Irene Street Wednesday after the driver of a white Chrysler reportedly attempted to turn left in front of an oncoming Isuzu Rodeo on the highway.
Nevada Highway Patrol Sgt. Carlos Rivera said based on a preliminary investigation at the scene, it appeared the green-colored Isuzu was traveling southbound on State Route 160 pulling a trailer behind it when the Chrysler, traveling northbound, allegedly attempted to turn left in front of the oncoming vehicle.
Witnesses at the scene reportedly told police the Chrysler had been traveling behind a larger sized vehicle prior to the accident.
“I understand witnesses said there was a larger sized vehicle in front of the white car, but it is unclear whether that vehicle continued straight or turned,” Rivera said.
The front end of the Isuzu subsequently collided with the passenger side of the turning Chrysler, causing significant damage to both vehicles.
All four occupants of the Isuzu, two of whom were children, suffered injuries in the crash and had to be transported to the Desert View Hospital by ambulance for treatment of their injuries.
The two adult occupants of the Chrysler reportedly became trapped inside their vehicle following the collision and had to be extracted by members of the Pahrump Valley Fire Rescue Services when emergency crews arrived on scene.
Following their extraction, two Mercy Air helicopters were called to life flight the occupants of the Chrysler to the University Medical Center trauma center in Las Vegas for further care.
Rivera said at the time of the accident there was no word on any of the six patients’ conditions.
Nye County Sheriff’s deputies and auxiliary officers closed State Route 160 from the area near the town offices all the way to Mesquite Avenue as emergency crews worked to get medical attention to those involved.
Rivera said he wanted to remind people in these situations to be patient when waiting to turn on any major highway and to always yield to oncoming traffic.
“We want to remind drivers to be patient when they’re coming up to the intersection; you have to yield to the right of way, whether you’re coming up to a secondary highway or when you’re turning onto 160, which is considered a primary highway,” he said.
Additionally, the sergeant said it appeared based on the information gathered thus far in NHP’s investigation, all occupants were wearing seat belts at the time of the incident. He added, however, it’s important to remind drivers to buckle up on the road.
“Obviously we want to make sure we have people who are properly restrained, and make sure your children are in their proper child seats. It appears that they were in this case, but we haven’t done our entire investigation of that just yet,” he said at the scene.