7-car accident Saturday results in fatality on I-80 near Newcastle Road

Interstate 80 was closed for four hours midday Saturday near Newcastle as California Highway Patrol investigated a seven-car accident which resulted in a fatality. According to the CHP Collision Report, a 61-year-old Meadow Vista man, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was traveling eastbound on I-80 east of Newcastle Road and "made an unsafe lane change" which resulted in the left rear of his vehicle colliding with a bus in the No. 1 lane. The impact with the bus caused the Meadow Vista resident's 2022 Dodge Ram truck to collide into the center divider, where it overturned and struck a Toyota Prius traveling westbound on I-80. The impact to the Prius caused it to collide into a red GMC 1500, which was traveling westbound in the No. 2 lane. The Dodge Ram continued in a westerly direction, where it then struck a Chevy Silverado, a black Kia EV6 and a Toyota RAV4. The Ram came to rest on its roof on the center divider. According to the CHP Collision Report, the driver of the Chevy Silverado was transported to a medical facility for "precautionary measures" due to glass in his eyes, and the other individuals involved in the accident reported minor injuries. Two lanes on eastbound I-80 east of Newcastle Road were closed for two hours and westbound I-80 in the same location was closed for four hours. Traffic was diverted to the Ophir Road exit. According to CHP, the cause of the collision is still under investigation. Alcohol or drug use factors are unknown as of Monday afternoon.