Silver Springs man killed in head-on collision

Alcohol was believed to have been a factor in a fatal head-on collision in Silver Springs on Friday night.

According to Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper J. Winchester, Margarito Leon, 29, of Silver Springs, was driving northbound on Highway 95A at about 9:18 p.m. Friday when a southbound white Ford pickup driven by David Tonini, 54, also of Silver Springs, drifted into oncoming traffic.

Leon was pronounced dead at the scene. Tonini was airlifted to Renown Medical Center in Reno, where he was treated and released with non-life threatening injuries.

Two children, ages 9 and 10, who were passengers in Leon's green Kia sedan, were also airlifted to Renown. The 9-year-old was treated and released and the 10-year-old was admitted to the hospital's pediatric intensive-care unit and listed in critical condition, Winchester said.

Winchester was not able to give the names of the children, and was unsure of their relationship to Leon.

"We're trying to determine that," he said. "One might have been a nephew. There is a language barrier and we haven't yet determined the exact status."

Winchester said officials believe both men were possibly under the influence of

alcohol. A blood draw was done on Tonini, with the results not yet available from the

Washoe County crime lab, which does the processing. He said Leon's blood will be tested during a pending autopsy.

He also said no one in the vehicles was wearing seat belts.

The accident blocked the highway for several hours. Traffic was rerouted along Ramsey-Weeks Cutoff to Highway 50.

Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-7351.