An 18-year-old man from Illinois died from his injuries in a Reno hospital Saturday after the car in which he was a passenger rolled over in the median of Interstate 80 two miles east of Fernley, reports the Nevada Highway Patrol.
All four occupants were from Illinois.
Passengers Yeats Brannik of Riverside and a 17-year-old female were ejected from a 2001 Volkswagen Beetle when the vehicle’s driver overcorrected and caused the car to overturn across the westbound lanes Saturday morning. Troopers were dispatched to the scene at 5:10 a.m.
The NHP said Brannik was transported via Care Flight to Renown Regional Medical Center where he later died from his injuries. The female passenger was transported to Renown by ambulance where she remains with a back injury.
The NHP said the Volkswagen, driven by 18-year-old Simonas Vanagas of Riverside, along with three occupants, was traveling westbound on I-80 in the left lane.
“Vanagas allowed the vehicle to drive off the south paved roadway edge and into the center median,” the NHP said. “Vanagas over corrected to the right which caused the vehicle to overturn across the westbound travel lanes.”
The NHP said Vanagas and passenger Matthew Pioch, 18, of Kingston, were also transported to Renown by ground ambulance.
According to the NHP report, Pioch was treated for a sore back and released. Vanagas, who had minor lacerations to in his upper extremities, consented to a legal blood draw. Troopers took him to Renown for assessment of his injuries and to gather a legal blood sample. Vanagas was also released from the hospital.
I-80 westbound was shut down for several hours while the accident scene was investigated and diagramed. The NHP said fatigue may be a factor in the cause of the accident. This area of I-80 is two lanes in each direction, and the speed limit is 70 mph.
Trooper Doug Hildebrand of the Nevada Highway Patrol’s Multi-Disciplinary Investigation and Reconstruction Team (MIRT) is investigating this incident. Anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who may have information related to this incident is encouraged to reach out to him at 775-689-4623 or dhildebrand@dps.state.nv.us regarding case number NHP-150101437.