Snow on the last day of summer contributed to a deadly multi-vehicle pile up crash on California’s I-80 through the Sierra Nevada mountains near Donner Summit.
Fatal Chain Reaction Crash Shuts Down I-80 For Hours
I 80 West Bound closed due to fatal accident. Weather related-hail @CBSSacramento pic.twitter.com/Q50k1Ywmok
— Lisa Meadows (@LisaMeadowsCBS) September 21, 2017
The crash happened yesterday around 11 a.m. on westbound I-80 in Placer County. According to reports, the roadway was covered in a layer of hail at the time that the crash took place. Snow had also spotted in the area.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a pickup and a semi truck collided on the interstate. This initial crash triggered a series of chain reaction crashes ultimately involving 16 vehicles.
The driver of the pickup truck died as a result of the crash. The identity of this driver has not been released.
Other injuries were reported, but they were all minor.
Winter Weather Strikes On The Last Day Of Summer
Though weather is believed to be a factor in the crash, the cause of the pile up is still under investigation.
Images captured in the area show limited visibility conditions at the time of the crash.
The crash shut down westbound I-80 for hours. All lanes were reopened shortly before 3 p.m. The road closure caused huge traffic backups in the area.
#TrafficAlert WB I-80 crash at Eagle Lake cleared. Huge traffic backlog -exercise patience and take is slow for snowy conditions on Summit. pic.twitter.com/ETEYUHp9dC
— Caltrans District 3 (@CaltransDist3) September 21, 2017
Weather forecasters say that snow this early in the season is unusual but not unheard of.
#TrafficAlert WB 80 crash cleared but very low visibility EB from Kingvale to Donner Summit. Slow going in both directions. pic.twitter.com/Qcc9QYLIoA
— Caltrans District 3 (@CaltransDist3) September 21, 2017
You can click here for the latest information on road conditions from Caltrans.