Fiery Pyramid Highway crash blamed on diabetes-related problems

Tuesday, May 9, 2000 | 4:37 a.m.

Lafayette Lee, 66, of Reno had been driving erratically before the head-on crash Feb. 20. He crossed the center line and slammed into an approaching vehicle driven by Ronald Phoenix, 37, of Sutcliffe.

Both drivers were killed in the crash as was 6-year-old Shasta Suraco. Her 8-year-old brother Justin died April 7.

Lee was diabetic and toxicology tests determined that his blood sugar level apparently was extremely low at the time of the crash.

A Nevada Highway Patrol trooper had tried to stop Lee's 1990 Cadillac, which was weaving in and out of the travel lane, but Lee never acknowledged the trooper's flashing lights and did not pull over, investigators said.

Traveling between 55 mph and 65 mph, his Cadillac swerved and plowed head-on into Phoenix's 1992 Mazda pickup.

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