Brad Horn/Nevada Appeal
Two Dayton residents were taken to the hospital with leg injuries following a head-on collision earlier this evening.
The accident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. when a pizza delivery driver allegedly fell asleep while driving west on Highway 50 just east of the entrance to Dayton State Park.
According to the Nevada Highway Patrol, 22-year-old Scott Robert Redwine's Ford Escort crossed over the center turn lane into the path of a Crown Victoria driven by 74-year-old Vivian Low.
"Witnesses said he just kind of drifted over," said NHP Sgt. Mark Clark.
Redwine had been delivering pizza off of Occidental Drive in Dayton just before the accident. Clark said Redwine commented he must have fallen asleep.
Lyon County firefighters had to cut away the roof of Low's sedan before they could get her out. Both she and Redwine were flown by Care Flight helicopters to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno. Their injuries did not appear to be life threatening.
The impact left Redwine's Escort facing west in the center turn lane and Low's Crown Victoria on the eastbound shoulder.
Debris scattered across three traffic lanes meant commuters had to crowd into two lanes past the accident, one lane taking traffic in each direction. Traffic crawled along and the road was only blocked for about 15 minutes while the helicopters landed.
Though the temperature was just 13 degrees, the road was open and clear of ice and snow from Thursday's storm.
The roadway was cleared by 9 p.m.