Las Vegas, NV — A fatal crash involving a commercial truck and passenger vehicle shut down southbound lanes of Interstate 15 near Mesquite, Nevada on Thursday, creating a traffic nightmare that prompted dozens of drivers to attempt dangerous off-road detours — many of which ended in vehicles getting stuck.
Crash Spurs Major Backup, Off-Road Chaos
The crash occurred approximately 11 miles south of Mesquite, backing up traffic on southbound I-15 for hours. In an effort to escape the gridlock, more than a dozen drivers left the highway, attempting to navigate dirt paths and side terrain. Their off-road decisions left vehicles stranded in soft soil and sand.
Among those needing urgent rescue was a woman traveling with a one-year-old child, who had been without water for several hours.
“We made that a priority to make sure we got to her first because of the infant,” said Anthony Duran Peterson, a volunteer with Southern Nevada Off-Road Recovery (SNORR), speaking to 8 News Now.
Volunteer Recovery Teams Mobilize for Stranded Drivers
SNORR, a Las Vegas-based non-profit off-road recovery team, worked for nine hours Thursday retrieving vehicles and assisting distressed travelers.
“People call in saying they’re stuck. They’re very frantic,” said Jacob Schmidt, SNORR’s president, who handled dispatch duties. “One man from Colorado called saying his wife had been stuck for over six hours.”
SNORR volunteers, who operate within a four-hour radius and occasionally across state lines, have responded to over 280 vehicle recovery calls so far this year.
Following GPS into the Danger Zone
According to SNORR’s Ryan Scarberry, GPS and navigation apps often reroute drivers onto unpaved roads during highway closures. Many follow blindly, unaware that the terrain becomes quickly unmanageable for standard vehicles.
“As soon as they touch into dirt, that’s danger zone,” Scarberry said.
Volunteers urge the public to stay patient during highway closures and never leave the paved road unless in a capable vehicle and with proper knowledge of the terrain.
“When you start going off road and things don’t seem right — stop, turn around, and go back,” Peterson advised.
Fatal Crash Still Under Investigation
While details of the fatal crash itself have not been released, authorities have confirmed that it involved a commercial truck and resulted in at least one fatality. The crash remains under active investigation by local law enforcement as reported by KLAS.
Would you trust your GPS in an emergency traffic situation — or wait it out? Let us know what you’d do in the comments at BethelAdvocate News.
