1 killed, 6 injured in crash on southbound Interstate 15

One person was killed and six others injured Tuesday morning after a crash in Jean that caused significant traffic delays on Interstate 15.

Nevada Highway Patrol spokeswoman Ashlee Wellman said troopers responded at 7:10 a.m. to I-15 north of Primm for a two-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes.

Wellman said a red Nissan SUV and a red Toyota pickup were headed north when the SUV slammed into the back of the pickup. Wellman said the SUV was traveling “at a high rate of speed” at the time of the crash.

The collision forced the pickup into the center median where it became airborne. The pickup came to rest in the southbound lanes. A female passenger in the pickup was ejected and died at the scene. The driver of the pickup was airlifted to University Medical Center in Las Vegas in critical condition, Wellman said.

Five people in the SUV, including a male driver, were transported by ambulance to a hospital in Henderson for treatment. Their conditions were not immediately known.

The Clark County coroner’s office identified the woman who died as Highland, California, resident Hirah Loera, 57.

Wellman said traffic delays in the area were extensive. The southbound lanes were shut down for hours as troopers were trying to get traffic around the crash site using the shoulder of the roadway. Northbound traffic also was forced to use the shoulder as a one-lane road.

All lanes of the interstate were reopened by 11 a.m.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.