Fatal collision in South Lake Tahoe

An early morning collision on Pioneer Trail in South Lake Tahoe left one person dead and sent two people by helicopter to the hospital.

At approximately 4:30 a.m., South Lake Tahoe Police and Fire personnel responded to the accident and found a vehicle had crashed into a retaining wall. Two accident victims were still in the car and one person was lying in the roadway.

There was a female driver, female front passenger, and a male in the street. Police believe the male had been a passenger in the backseat of the 4 door sedan.

The female driver and the male were flown by Helicopter to Reno area hospitals with unknown injuries. The front female passenger was pronounced dead at the scene.

The deceased is a 21 year old female from South Lake Tahoe. Her identity is being withheld pending family notification by EDSO Sheriff/Coroner.

The cause of this collision is still under investigation. The early indication is the 4 door sedan was traveling west on Pioneer Tr. just east of Glenwood Dr. The vehicle appears to have lost control and slid off the roadway striking a retaining wall on the south/west corner of Edna St. and Pioneer trail. High speed may have been a factor.

It’s unknown at this time if alcohol intoxication by the driver was also a factor, but is being investigated. A small section of Pioneer Tr. remains closed at April Dr. Vehicles are being rerouted around the closure.