SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Traffic was stopped over US 50 at Echo Summit for a few hours on Monday afternoon after a vehicle hit people trying to get their tire chains adjusted. There were several injuries.
At approximately 12:45 p.m. on February 16, a Kia sedan had stopped in a turnout just east of Johnson Pass Road. They were attempting to adjust the chain on their left front tire. Two bystanders stopped and offered to help. All three were young men working on the left front of the vehicle, attempting to fix the tire chain, when the driver of a Chevrolet Silverado, who was traveling westbound on US-50 approaching Johnson Pass, lost control of the vehicle on the snow-covered roadway. The Chevrolet traveled across eastbound US-50 and collided with the Kia, striking all three pedestrians working on the left front tire, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
One pedestrian was thrown approximately 40 feet and came to rest on the right shoulder behind the Kia. The other two pedestrians were dragged by the Chevrolet and ultimately freed by passersby and Caltrans personnel.
All three pedestrians suffered major injuries and were transported to Barton Memorial Hospital. They are ages 21-23 and from the Bay Area. The two in the Chevrolet, ages 17 and 21 from Sacramento, complained of chest pain and had minor injuries.
During the course of the CHP investigation, it was determined that alcohol/drug intoxication was not a factor.