GARDNERVILLE " U.S. Highway 395 south of here was expected to reopen at 1:30 a.m. today in the aftermath of a head-on collision that claimed the lives of a Douglas County man and the driving team of a semi on Sunday.
The accident occured about 5:40 p.m. south of Washoe Road near Bodie Flat in south Douglas County.
Nevada Highway Patrol Sgt. Ron Larson said the driver of the green 1996 GMC pickup had just completed his pass when he struck the semi heading southbound on 395. Witnesses in cars behind the pickup and the semi confirmed that the driver was in the no-pass zone.
All three victims died in the fire that witness described as a wall of flames. The identities of the victims have not been released pending notification of kin.
The collision set off ammunition inside the pickup truck and sparked a wildfire on both the east and west side of the highway that scorched two to five acres before it was extinguished.
Douglas County deputies and the NHP closed 395 between Riverview Drive south of Gardnerville and the 395 junction with Highway 208 north of Topaz Lake. The cleanup is expected to be completed by today. Douglas County responded first to the call. There was no need to call Care Flight, Larson said.
