Bay Area men struck by vehicle in Lake Tahoe area while fixing tire chain

By Jose Fabian

A driver on Highway 50 near Lake Tahoe lost control and struck three Bay Area men who were fixing a tire chain, the California Highway Patrol said on Tuesday.

The crash happened around 12:45 p.m. Monday on a Highway 50 turnout, east of Johnson Pass. According to the CHP, two men had approached a Kia driver who was stopped on the side of the road and offered to help him with his tire chain.

All three of them were near the left front tire when they were struck by an out-of-control Chevrolet Silverado, the CHP said.

The CHP’s collision report states that the Silverado driver had been traveling westbound on the snow-covered roads when he lost control and crossed into the eastbound direction.

One of the men was launched 40 feet and landed behind the Kia on the right shoulder; the other two men were dragged by the vehicle and had to be rescued by nearby people and Caltrans crews, the CHP said.

All three of them were taken to Barton Memorial Hospital with major injuries. They were identified by the CHP as a 23-year-old from Concord, a 23-year-old San Jose resident, and a 22-year-old from San Leandro.

The driver and passenger of the Silverado had minor injuries, the CHP said. The driver was identified as a 21-year-old Sacramento man and the passenger as a 17-year-old Sacramento girl.

Investigators said neither alcohol nor drugs was a factor in the crash.