SPARKS — On Friday at about 4:53 a.m., troopers from the Nevada Highway Patrol were dispatched to a multiple-vehicle accident on westbound Interstate 80 just east of Sparks, between the Lockwood and Vista Boulevard interchanges. Two people were injured in the accident that involved seven vehicles and tied up traffic for hours.

Troopers learned that 57-year-old Faye Campbell from Pleasant Hill, Calif., was driving her 2006 Chevrolet four-door sedan westbound on I-80 when she lost control of the vehicle causing it to rollover. Campbell was ejected from her vehicle as it rolled and she landed near the inside shoulder adjacent to eastbound travel lanes. She suffered a visible head injury.

Shortly after she was ejected, six more vehicles were involved in the accdident: four of them struck the disabled sedan while the other two attempted to avoid striking the flipped car and subsequently hit the guardrail or cement barrier wall. One of the other involved motorists sustained a lower extremity injury. Cathy Ann McPherson, a 50-year-old Fallon resident and Campbell were transported by ambulance to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno.

According to one motorist involved in the collision, the sedan was still spinning on its top near the left lane when his semi-truck hit it. Although one of the involved motorists stated the highway was not icy or snow covered at the time of the event, there was reduced visibility because of dense fog and the accident area was just immediately west of a slight curve in the roadway, which obscured the motorists from seeing and avoiding the accident scene.

At 10:30 a.m., McPherson was in the process of being released from the hospital and Campbell was listed in fair condition. Both westbound travel lanes were completely blocked because of the multiple-vehicle accident essentially stalling all westbound traffic. The scene was cleared and both westbound lanes reopened at 8:22 a.m.

The accident is under investigation. Witnesses to the accident are encouraged to call NHP Trooper Tom Brooks at 688-2500 ext. 4 during normal business hours or the Department of Public Safety Communications Center at 687-0400 regarding case No. NHP-1101070079.

The Nevada Highway Patrol would like to remind motorists that, especially when there is reduced visibility because of dense and freezing fog, they need to adjust their driving habits by reducing their vehicle’s speed and create a safer and greater following distance with other vehicles.