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Woman, 40, killed in Interstate 80 wreck near Truckee

Kevin MacMillan
kmacmillan@sierrasun.com

TRUCKEE, Calif. —A 40-year-old woman from China was killed Thursday after she was side-swiped by a vehicle that lost control due to slippery conditions on Interstate 80, officials said.

George Georgiou, 73, of Ross, Calif., was traveling eastbound in a black 2011 Lexus sedan near the Soda Springs exit west of Truckee when he lost control on the snowy highway, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The Lexus traveled off the roadway to the left, and struck a pedestrian — Fang Ling, 40, of Beijing — who was a passenger in a single-vehicle accident moments earlier near the same location.



Ling, who was standing near the interstate’s median shoulder when she was struck, was pronounced dead at the scene. Georgiou was not injured.

According to CHP, Ling’s male driver lost control of their green 2001 Lexus sedan at about 4:50 p.m. Thursday while rounding a right-hand curve. The Lexus went off the road and struck an embankment before coming to rest on the snow-covered median.



A passing motorist assisted Ling and her driver with moving the green Lexus. Ten minutes later, Georgiou’s black Lexus struck Ling and then struck the green Lexus before also coming to rest on the median.

Both crashes are under investigation; neither alcohol nor drugs are considered factors, according to CHP.

That area of the highway near Donner Summit experienced moderate snowfall throughout much of Thursday as a series of snow storms began to hit the region.

The region will be under a winter storm warning from noon Friday through noon Saturday, according to the National Weather Service, followed by a winter storm watch into late Sunday.

As much as 3 to 4 feet of snow is possible in higher elevations by Monday morning.


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