Sgt. John Glenn looks at a crumpled gold Impala after a crash Monday on U.S. 93 near the U.S. 95 interchange that left three people injured. The accident appears to be a road-rage incident, Glenn said.
Published Monday, May 18, 2009 | 11:47 a.m.
Updated Monday, May 18, 2009 | 6:37 p.m.
Crash location
What police describe as a road-rage incident sent three people to the hospital Monday and closed U.S. 93 northbound near Railroad Pass for two hours.
All three people involved in the crash were released from the hospital by Monday evening, Boulder City traffic Sgt. John Glenn said.
Just before 11 a.m., a gold Chevrolet Impala driven by Ward Laughlin, 66, of Boulder City, northbound on U.S. 93 toward Railroad Pass passed a red Honda CRV sport utility vehicle near the overpass for U.S. 95, Glenn said.
Witnesses said the driver of the SUV, identified as Ashley Lombardi, 27, of Boulder City, apparently took offense at being passed and maneuvered around the Impala. The SUV swerved at the Impala and the third time the SUV swerved, it clipped the Impala and both vehicles went into the median, Glenn said.
The Impala came to rest on a rocky hill in the median. The SUV came to a rest across the median in the near shoulder of the southbound lane.
Fire crews had to take the roof off the Impala to extricate its passenger, Kathleen Laughlin, 64, of Boulder City, Boulder City Fire Capt. Casey Tuttle said. She was taken to University Medical Center by medical helicopter. Her husband, Ward, was driven by ambulance to UMC.
Lombardi was taken by ambulance to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, Glenn said.
All three had been released by 5 p.m., Glenn said, noting that they had been wearing seat belts.
"That surely minimized the injuries and fatalities in this crash," Glenn said.
Both vehicles were going 50 to 55 mph at the time of the crash, so speed was not a factor, he said. Alcohol also is not believed to be a factor, Glenn said, but a blood test was being done on Lombardi to test for illegal or prescription medicines.
Lombardi told police she does not remember exactly how the crash occurred, Glenn said.
No charges have been filed pending the blood test, he said.
Traffic on U.S. 93 was backed up in both directions for about two hours while emergency crews responded. Northbound traffic was diverted around the scene using the U.S. 95 exit and entrance. Southbound traffic was reduced to one lane.
The lanes reopened shortly after 1 p.m., police said.
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