Former Truckee football coach Bob Shaffer, seen here during the 2012 state title game, was inducted into the NIAA Hall of Fame in March 2014.
TRUCKEE, Calif. — Bob Shaffer, the legendary longtime coach of the Truckee High School football team from 1995 to 2013, died Saturday night in a head-on vehicle crash outside of Sierraville, officials confirmed Sunday.
According to a news release from the California Highway Patrol’s Quincy division, Shaffer, 64, of Loyalton, was driving a 2006 Toyota Corolla northbound on Highway 89 at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday in Sierra County, south of Cold Creek Campground.
Meanwhile, David Slaughter, 54, of Sacramento, was driving a 1989 Ford F250 southbound when he “allowed his vehicle to cross into the northbound lane, into the path of the Shaffer vehicle,” according to CHP.
“Due to the resulting head-on collision, Mr. Shaffer suffered fatal injuries,” officers said in the Sunday morning news release.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to CHP, Shaffer’s wife, Lisa, 61, and son Patrick, 22, were also in the Toyota and suffered “minor to moderate injuries.”
Mrs. Shaffer was transported by ground ambulance to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, and Patrick was transported by private vehicle to Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee.
Slaughter reportedly suffered moderate injuries and was transported via life-flight helicopter to Renown.
According to the CHP report, Slaughter has been arrested, but further details were not immediately available.
“At this point, everything is still under investigation,” according to a statement from CHP-Truckee Public Information Officer Pete Mann Sunday morning. “Quincy CHP will release more information as it becomes available.”
In 18 years as head coach of Truckee football, Shaffer led the Wolverines to a 170-32 record, en route to nine state championships and 14 league titles. His teams never missed the playoffs and qualified for 12 state final games.
Shaffer — who retired prior to the 2013 season and was inducted into the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Hall of Fame in 2014 — led Truckee to four straight state championships and 41 consecutive victories from 2009 to 2012.
His win total of 170 ranks third all time in NIAA history.
