Powerful Sierra Storm Is a Factor in Fatal Crash

Another late-season storm dumped up to two feet of snow in the Sierra and contributed to a deadly accident on Interstate 80 west of here.

A semi-trailer truck slammed into three parked cars whose occupants were taking off chains along the interstate, killing one person and sending four others to a hospital.

Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Patrick McGill said the driver of the truck was arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and driving without due care after the accident early Saturday.

The names of the driver and victims were not released.

McGill said the eastbound motorists were removing chains after driving over the Sierra when the accident occurred at Gold Ranch just east of the California line.

A man who had just removed his chains was standing outside his car when he was struck and killed.

Two of the injured were in serious condition at Washoe Medical Center, while two others were in satisfactory condition.

The 3:48 a.m. accident is under investigation.

“At this point, we don’t know why the truck went off the roadway and hit the cars,” McGill said. “Investigators are still out at the scene.”

Chain controls were lifted Saturday morning after the storm dumped heavy snow in the Lake Tahoe area as well as northern Nevada valleys.

Over a 24-hour period ending Saturday morning, Kirkwood ski resort reported up to two feet of new snow; Incline Village 12 inches; South Lake Tahoe, Calif., eight inches; Carson City and Minden six inches; and southwest Reno four inches.

Alpine Meadows ski resort just north of Tahoe said the storm boosted its snowfall for the month to 79 inches, more than double April’s average of 34 inches.

“The snow just keeps piling up,” said Alpine spokeswoman Rachael Woods. “I have skied powder in April before, but not as deep and light.”

Jody Churich of Boreal atop Donner Summit said the storm will help her resort end the season on a high note. Boreal closes today along with four other Tahoe resorts.

“It’s unbelievable how much snow we’ve had this month,” she said. “It still looks like the dead of winter.”

National Weather Service forecaster Steve Adams said it has seemed more like winter in April than in January and February because of a series of potent late-season storms.

But he said the snow should melt quickly because of a return to dry, warmer weather this week.