Traffic accidents claim seven lives in 2008

The number of fatal accidents in Douglas County went up in 2008, but the death toll went down.

Seven people died in six accidents during the year, one fewer than in 2007, according to figures released by the Nevada Highway Patrol. There were only four fatal accidents in 2007, but one involved the death of four members of a family.

Three fatalities were in accidents related to alcohol during the year, the same number as last year. All seven fatalities were the occupants of vehicles as opposed to be pedestrians or motorcyclists.

Four died on Highway 395 through the Pine Nut Mountains, the most dangerous stretch of highway in Douglas County. Two were killed in Carson Valley and one died at Lake Tahoe.

Those killed on the roads during the year are:

- Thomas Riley Overly, of Edgewood, Wash., was killed in a head-on accident Feb. 13 on Highway 395 at Courtland Lane. Overly was a passenger in a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by his sister, Bishop resident Jeannie Darlene Hawkins, 39, who swerved to avoid an animal.

- Gardnerville residents Norman and Virginia White died May 23 when their classic 1955 Pontiac sedan swerved into the oncoming lane on Highway 395 in the Pine Nut Mountains.

- Gardnerville resident Lee Ann Frances Briggs, 56, died June 20 from injuries she received from a June 11 accident at the intersection of Highway 88 and Centerville Lane.

- Gardnerville resident David Bower Love II, 24, was killed July 8 in the 1300 block of Leonard Drive after he drove his car into a parked flatbed truck. Love's accident was alcohol related.

- Decorated U.S. Marine Sgt. Micah Richmond, 27, was killed Sept. 5 after his F-150 Ford pickup left the roadway and rolled. Richmond was thrown from the vehicle. Richmond's accident was alcohol related.

- Carson City resident David Fried, 54, died from injuries he received in a head-on collision Nov. 7 on Highway 50 near Logan Creek when he crossed the centerline in his 2004 Dodge Neon and collided with another car. Fried's accident was alcohol related.

In 2006, the death toll was six people.