Danny Price, 63, of Loyalton, passed away on Thursday, May 7, 2026, after suffering injuries in a three-vehicle head-on accident. The Plumas County community is in sorrow. The collision happened in the town of Vinton at around 11:17 a.m. on State Route 70 east of State Route 49. When the collision happened on the two-lane highway, Price was traveling east in a Dodge Dart, just behind a Ford Explorer.
According to the California Highway Patrol, 69-year-old Danny Shaffer of Beckwourth was driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck westbound on SR-70. For reasons still under investigation, Shaffer crossed into the eastbound lane and collided with the Ford Explorer driven by 22-year-old Trenton Schwier of Chilcoot, who was traveling with family members. The Explorer spun out onto the dirt shoulder following the initial impact.
The Ford F-150 continued into the eastbound lanes and then struck Price’s Dodge Dart. Price was trapped inside his vehicle and had to be extricated by fire personnel and CHP officers. He was airlifted by Care Flight to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The location in Vinton, a small community in Plumas County along Highway 70, is a rural stretch of roadway that sees regular traffic between Quincy and surrounding areas. The crash involved three vehicles and resulted in serious injuries for at least one other person. Emergency responders from multiple agencies worked quickly at the scene near Ede Street.
Danny Price, a longtime resident of Loyalton, leaves behind family and friends in the Sierra Nevada region who are grieving his sudden passing. The CHP Quincy Area office continues to investigate the cause of the collision, including any contributing factors such as speed, impairment, or distraction. No additional information on charges has been released as the probe remains active.
This fatal accident has prompted renewed attention to safety on Highway 70 in Plumas County. Authorities urge drivers to remain vigilant on the winding rural roads. Anyone with information about the crash is encouraged to contact the California Highway Patrol. The community now focuses on supporting those affected by this tragic loss in the Vinton area.
