Fatally struck Wadsworth pedestrian identified

A 26-year-old Wadsworth man was killed Thursday night when he attempted to cross the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80.

According to the Nevada Highway Patrol, the pedestrian has been identified as Jason D. Gonzalez.

According to the NHP, troopers responded to a collision on Interstate 80 near mile marker 44 in Storey County that involved a man who was fatally struck by a commercial motor vehicle.

NHP preliminary investigation details indicate Gonzalez of Wadsworth attempted to cross the eastbound lanes directly in front of a commercial motor vehicle that was traveling east in the right travel lane. The NHP said Gonzalez was near the right shoulder of the freeway and attempted to cross toward the center median area at the time of the accident. The front of the tractor-trailer combination struck Gonzalez causing fatal injuries. The driver of the big-rig stopped his vehicle on the right shoulder just east of the accident scene. He was identified as 57-year-old Surjit S. Dhaliwal of Elk Grove, Calif.,, and the NHP said he is cooperating with our investigators. Dhaliwal was driving a green 2007 Freightliner tractor that was towing a 2001 Wanc box or van configured semi-trailer.

The crash scene caused the closure of one eastbound lane for several hours while investigators completed their on-scene portion of the investigation which included diagramming the scene.

Trooper Doug Hildebrand of the Nevada Highway Patrol’s Major Accident Investigation Team or M.A.I.T is the lead investigator of this incident. Witnesses or anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact him at 775-689-4623 or dhildebrand@dps.state.nv.us regarding case number NHP-131102660.