Citation Issued for Nevada Crash that Killed 4 Horses

Nevada State Police issued a citation in connection with a crash that killed four horses and injured two people.

Trooper Sean Hagstrom of the Nevada State Police Highway Patrol said a male driver was driving an F250 north when he apparently fell asleep and entered oncoming traffic, striking a southbound truck and trailer rig hauling reining horses. The crash happened about 7:30 a.m., Sept. 4, on Route 318 near mile marker 34.

According to Hagstrom, the northbound driver admitted to responders at the scene that his eyes were starting to close and he was falling asleep.

“So he’s falling asleep, missing two of the trailers and then ended up striking the third trailer in the caravan that that truck went off to the road West where it crashed into an embankment,” Hagstrom said.

The driver of the F250, who’s name was not released, was issued a citation for a violation of Nevada Revised Statute 484B.203 Duties of Drivers Passing Vehicles Proceeding in Opposite Directions. The citation was not issued at the scene due to the responding trooper’s computer malfunctions, said Hagstrom.

“That road was closed for several hours because of the debris at the scene,” Hagstrom said. “Going back to the driver that caused it, his trailer and truck became unhitched. The trailer went eastbound while the truck went westbound, and the truck ended up catching fire. That person was able to get out of there [the burning vehicle].”

Hagstrom said the driver of the vehicle causing the crash claimed no injury and was not transported for medical treatment.

Trooper Hagstrom explained that two of the horses in the trailer were dead at the time of the crash and others were humanely euthanized on the scene. First responders including highway patrol troopers and a state brand inspector helped to free the surviving horses from the trailer. Desert Pines Veterinary Clinic was nearby and retrieved the deceased horses according to Hagstrom.