Trooper OK after morning accident

A white out in Washoe Valley on Tuesday morning caused a number of accidents, including one involving a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper who received moderate injuries.

Trooper Chava Rothschild was injured when her patrol car was rammed from behind by a sport utility vehicle pulling a 28-foot trailer.

At the time of the 9:50 a.m. accident, Rothschild was in her patrol car in the median filing out paperwork for an unrelated accident.

The Washoe County Sheriff's Office is handling the accident investigation. Truck driver Arthur Cofane, 77, of Montrose, Colo., was not injured.

Rothschild, a 16-year NHP veteran, was treated at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center for chest injuries from hitting the steering wheel and released.

Both vehicles were totaled.

Gusting winds caused icy roads and poor visibility, and authorities closed the highway between Lakeview Hill at the north end of Carson City to a point south of Winter's Ranch House for much of the day. West winds were around 35 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph.

Traffic was routed around Old Highway 395 and Eastlake Boulevard where visibility also was hampered. Traffic moved through the area at top speeds of 30 mph.

Just before noon troopers began escorting vehicles with chains or snow tires through the valley at a top speed of about 25 mph.

Today is expected to be mostly cloudy with snow showers, reaching a high temperature of 37 degrees. Tonight should be cloudy, with a low temperature of 20 degrees, according to Accuweather.

The National Weather Service predicts wind blowing between 10-15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

On Thursday, forecasters predict a 40 percent chance of snow after 4 p.m.