Mid-February I-80 Chain-Reaction Pileup Kills Multiple, Disrupts Albany Travel

A 32-vehicle chain-reaction pileup involving 22 commercial semi-trucks and 12 passenger vehicles snarled westbound Interstate 80 near Evanston, killing two people and injuring dozens, authorities reported. The crash, which occurred around 3:07 p.m. on Wednesday, sent 22 people to Evanston Regional Hospital and prompted three airlifts to hospitals in Utah for advanced care.

The westbound lane remained closed for more than 16 hours, affecting a 21-mile stretch that was not re-opened until late Thursday morning. Several people were trapped on that stretch during the extended closure as overnight temperatures dropped to 21 degrees, and every large and small wrecker in Evanston plus several from Lyman were summoned to clear wrecked tractor-trailers and stranded vehicles while local communities rallied to assist the injured and those left on the interstate.

Medical officials treated injuries ranging from severe bruising to broken legs and ribs among those brought to Evanston Regional Hospital, and three patients were flown out of state for higher-level care. No names or further hospitalization details have been released for the deceased or the injured; the Wyoming Highway Patrol and local emergency services led scene response alongside municipal tow operators.

The pileup was one of several winter weather-related incidents on I-80 that day. Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers and first responders also responded to multiple crashes involving 40 vehicles on the westbound lane near Arlington, and a smaller eastbound incident temporarily closed that lane before it was cleared and reopened overnight. "That was a much smaller event, with only a couple of semi-trucks and passenger vehicles," Aaron Brown, spokesman for the Wyoming Highway Patrol, said. Brown urged caution and added, "These incidents serve as a reminder about winter driving in Wyoming. Make sure you're never driving faster than conditions allow, and be prepared for that sudden change in weather, especially visibility." He also recommended, "one of the best ways to ensure their safety is to download the Wyoming 511 app. That will provide them with instantaneous information on accidents, closures, and other hazards they might encounter during their travels."

The crashes in Wyoming occurred amid a broader storm system that shut down both directions of I-80 over Donner Summit in California because of spin-outs and crashes and kept a Winter Storm Warning in effect for the Tahoe area, where some spots could get up to several feet of snow. Pacific Gas & Electric said it was using artificial intelligence and machine-learning enhanced weather models to pre-position crews and equipment ahead of the storms, and California's Office of Emergency Services reported placing fire and rescue personnel in areas most at risk for flooding, mud and debris flows. Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose airports experienced travel delays as the systems moved through the West.

Albany County motorists planning transcontinental travel should note that prolonged closures on I-80 in Wyoming, the CHP shutdown over Donner Summit and regional airport delays have created cascading disruptions across the transcontinental corridor. The scale of crashes, evacuations and airlifts in Evanston highlights gaps in surge medical capacity and roadside assistance in extreme winter conditions, and points to the importance of real-time travel alerts, coordinated emergency response and pre-positioned mutual aid during multi-state storms.