Two injured in I-80 wreck
Traffic was slowed on Interstate 80 eastbound just before the agricultural inspection station Friday morning after a single-car accident.
At about 10:04 a.m., a 1993 Mercury Villager van driven by Gert Rudiger, 69, of San Jose, suddenly swerved off the roadway and entered a grove of trees in the chain installation area a few hundred yards before the bug station.
The van struck several trees, tearing open the left front driver’s door and ejecting the driver. Both Rudiger and his wife, Alta, 67, suffered major injuries in the crash.
Gert Rudiger was evacuated immediately by Careflight to Washoe Medical Center. Alta Rudiger was taken to Tahoe Forest Hospital and then also evacuated via Careflight to Washoe Medical Center.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation, said Todd Kettwig, California Highway Patrol Public Affairs Officer.
“There’s a possibility the accident was due to a medical condition with the driver,” he said.
As of Wednesday morning, both were still hospitalized. Gert Rudiger was out of intensive care while his wife remained in serious condition in the ICU.
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