Four die in two crashes

Four people were killed in two accidents on Highway 395 during a five-hour span during the weekend.

Three of the people were killed in a head-on accident near Leviathan Mine Road involving driver who was earlier reported as driving recklessly.

The initial call came in at 11:53 p.m., only four minutes before the accident was reported, according to Douglas County call logs.

The Nevada Highway Patrol said a northbound 2007 Nissan Frontier pickup crossed the center line and into the path of a 1995 Geo Metro at 3 minutes to midnight on Saturday.

When rescuers arrived, they found both vehicles turned over and had to close the highway until 6 a.m. Sunday morning.

The driver of the Geo, a 66-year-old Yerington man and the 21-year-old Reno man who was driving the pickup both died at the scene.

A female passenger in the Geo was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.

While officers still were dealing with the accident in the Pine Nuts, a second fatal accident occurred at 4:35 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of Lucerne Street and Highway 395 in Minden.

A 43-year-old Indian Hills man was killed when he was ejected from a 1991 Jeep Wrangler while trying to make a right hand turn onto Lucerne. The Wrangler overturned and rolled over onto the man.

He died from injuries at the Carson Valley Medical Center, according to NHP spokeswoman Barbara Stapleton.

Both accidents are under investigation by the Nevada Highway Patrol's Major Accident Investigation Team.