Man killed in rollover on highway

A man was killed early Saturday when the four-door car he was driving went off Highway 50 East near Graves Lane and rolled several times.

According to the Nevada Highway Patrol, the man was heading east at about 3:40 a.m. when the vehicle drove off the south edge of the highway.

The vehicle, a white, 1994 Plymouth, hit a culvert and flipped over, skidding about 75 feet on its top before it flipped back onto its wheels. It came to rest facing south near Atkins House of Carpet.

The man, whose name was not released pending notification of family, was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:55 a.m. The victim is described as a Hispanic male about 60 years old. His driver's license listed a Carson City address.

Speed was a factor in the crash, according to Nevada Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Zacha.

"Preliminary estimates put his speed at around 70 miles per hour and that's coming out of a 45 zone," he said.

There were no skid marks either on or off the highway, he said.

It's unknown if alcohol was a factor in the crash.

"There was no smell of alcohol at the scene but it was really cold and that has a tendency to knock down the smell," Zacha said. "But of course we'll check for that with toxicology tests."

The man was wearing a seat belt, but because of the high rate of speed he was partially ejected from the vehicle as it rolled, he said.

Contact Karl Horeis at khoreis@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.