A 23-year-old Fallon woman and former Churchill County High School student died Monday afternoon in an automobile collision on Interstate 80 near Fernley.

According to the Nevada Highway Patrol Tuesday afternoon, Chandra Jeanne (Coverston) Petty was traveling eastbound on the freeway just east of the Exit 48 interchange at approximately 1:20 p.m. Based on witness statements to the NHP and the physical evidence of the collision, it appears Petty may have attempted to make a U-turn and was turning her green Kia sedan toward the center dirt median when the collision occurred.

Petty apparently did not see the large eastbound three-axle motor home towing an enclosed trailer that was attempting to pass her in the left lane of the freeway, said Nevada Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer Chuck Allen.

The front of the motor home struck the left side of her sedan, and Allen said both vehicles proceeded straight into the median and remained on their tires.

The force of the collision resulted in fatal injuries to Petty, and she was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after emergency personnel arrived.

Allen said her 8-month old son, Matthew Paul Petty, had been properly restrained in his car seat in the right rear seat of the sedan. That area of the vehicle did not sustain any noticeable damage.

The infant was airlifted to Renown Medical Center from the scene Monday afternoon and was reported to have no injuries.

Allen said the driver of the motor home, 41-year-old Jason Baratta of Las Vegas, the driver of the motor home, was uninjured. No other passengers were traveling with him.

Ana Hardy, a supervisor at Jerry's Restaurant where Petty worked, remembered her friend and colleague as a person with a great spirit who loved her son.

Hardy, who had known Petty for four years, said she never saw a frown on her friend's face.

"She was a dedicated mother, a great friend and co-worker," she said, adding when Petty did not show up for her shift on Monday, there was some concern.

Petty normally would come in for work with Matthew and hand her son off to her mother who was leaving work for the day.

She said the restaurant is a quiet and somber place now, as workers are seeing things that remind them of Petty.

"You see a baby, and you think of her," she said. "It's sad. She was a hard worker for us and was always in good spirits."

The accident is still under investigation and witnesses are being asked to call Trooper Eric Gallagher at (775) 689-4661 with information.

A donation account has been set up for Petty at Wells Fargo, and the account number is 9662423319.