Fallon woman arrested in fatal crash that killed Wadsworth man

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

A Fallon woman was arrested Friday on two felony charges stemming from a single-vehicle crash March 6 on Interstate 80 that resulted in the death of a Wadsworth man.

Tallulah Secunda Ketchum, 39 was arrested and booked into the Washoe County jail on felony charges of vehicular homicide, reckless driving causing death, and the misdemeanor charge of failure to maintain travel lane.

According to the Nevada State Police Highway Patrol, Ketchum was driving a gray Lincoln MKZ eastbound on I-80 west of Painted Rock (Exit 40). While negotiating a curve, Ketchum failed to maintain control of the Lincoln and ran off the roadway left, striking the center median guardrail. The Lincoln then re-entered the travel lanes and ran off the roadway right, fell off the embankment/cliff and overturned.

The passenger, Tamar Tsonetokoy, a 37-year-old Wadsworth resident, was ejected from the car and died on the scene. Ketchum was transported to Renown Regional Medical Center via Care Flight with non-life-threatening injuries and remained there until her discharge and subsequent arrest. Impairment and speed are suspected factors in this collision.

This crash is being investigated by the Highway Patrol Division’s Northern Command West Multi-Disciplinary Investigation and Reconstruction Team (M.I.R.T.) – Case #220300432. If anyone has any information about this crash, please send an email to ncwmirt@dps.state.nv.us and reference the case number.