Reno, Nevada (Sept. 25, 2026) – Three people died in a wrong-way crash on South McCarran Boulevard late Friday night, according to the Reno Police Department.
Reno police, Reno firefighters, and REMSA responded to the two-vehicle crash on South McCarran Boulevard between Sierra Madre Drive and Rio Poco Road around 11:50 p.m. on September 25. Police said an initial investigation found an adult woman driving an SUV was traveling the wrong way on McCarran Boulevard when she crashed head-on into a passenger car headed west.
An adult man and woman riding in the passenger car were killed in the crash. The woman driving the SUV also died, according to police. Investigators said alcohol appears to have been a factor in the crash. This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
What to Do After a Fatal Wrong-Way Crash in Nevada
A head-on collision caused by a wrong-way driver leaves surviving family members with a claim that moves differently than most fatal crash cases, especially once alcohol enters the picture.
Can the family still pursue a claim since the driver also died? Yes. Because the woman driving the SUV did not survive, no criminal case will follow her, but a civil wrongful death claim can still move forward against her estate and any applicable auto insurance coverage.
What can a wrongful death claim cover? Nevada law allows the surviving family to recover funeral and burial expenses, lost income and future support, and compensation for the loss of companionship (NRS 41.085).
What does the alcohol finding mean for the case? Investigators calling alcohol “a factor” is a preliminary finding, not a final toxicology result. If confirmed, it can support a stronger claim for both compensatory and punitive damages against the at-fault driver’s estate.
What is the filing deadline? Nevada wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of the date of death, setting this deadline at September 25, 2028 (NRS 41.085).
Contact Our Reno Wrongful Death Attorneys
Losing two family members in one crash, over something as senseless as a wrong-way driver, leaves questions no family should have to sort through alone.
Our wrongful death lawyers have recovered more than $175 million for injured and grieving families statewide, including a $7.1 million award in a vehicle-versus-pedestrian traumatic brain injury case.
Blood alcohol results, the crash reconstruction report, and any available dash-camera footage are the kind of evidence that gets filed away fast, so preserving it now protects the family’s claim later.
We take wrongful death cases on contingency, so there is nothing owed unless we recover for the family.
Why Nevada families trust us:
- $44M+ recovered for injured clients in 2025 alone
- $175M+ recovered overall
- 4.7 rating across 400+ verified reviews
- Former judge on our team, Hon. Christopher K. Lee (Ret.)
- Fluent in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean
- Available 24/7
- No recovery, no fee
Talk With Us When You’re Ready at (702) 508-7675.
When your family is ready, call us, and we will walk you through what a wrongful death claim can cover.
