Jeremy Renner Suffered “Tragic Accident” With Sno-Cat, Local Sheriff Says; ‘Avengers’ Star Not “Impaired” Authorities Declare
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office in a press conference today revealed further information on Jeremy Renner’s New Year’s Day snow-plowing accident which has the 2x Oscar nominee suffering “chest trauma and orthopedic injuries” per his reps yesterday.
Wishing Jeremy Renner a “full and speedy recovery” from his New Year’s Day Sno-Cat accident, Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam today detailed “severe winter weather” on the highway where Renner’s accident occurred.
The press conference started Tuesday mere minutes after the Hawkeye actor took to social media to say “Thank you all for your kind words. I’m too messed up now to type. But I send love to you all.”
“At this point in the investigation, we do not believe Mr. Renner was impaired at all and we believe this is a tragic accident,” Sheriff Balaam declared as he offered details of the Oscar nominee trying to get another vehicle out of the snow and the Snowcat started to move after he got out of it. “We don’t suspect any foul play.”
A personal vehicle driven by a family member was stuck. Renner went to retrieve his Sno-cat (or his PistenBully) which weighed 14,330 lbs. Renner went to tow the vehicle on a private road, which allows him to operate such a vehicle. The actor got out of his PistenBully and it started to roll. Renner tried to get back in the PistonBully and it’s that point in time that police believe the actor was run over by the immense vehicle.
Answering questions from local media, the Reno-area Sheriff noted the Snowcat is in the possession of the police and being inspected for mechanical failure and other issues
As of Monday, the Hawkeye star underwent surgery and remained in the ICU in “critical but stable condition”.
Sergeant Kristin Vietti of Washoe County Sheriff’s told Deadline that police “responded to a traumatic injury in the area of Mt. Rose Highway in Reno, Nevada” at 9 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Renner has a home near Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe, about 25 miles from Reno. The region saw a winter storm hit on New Year’s Eve that resulted in 35,000 homes across Northern Nevada’s Washoe, Carson, Douglas, Storey and Lyon counties losing power. Renner was taken by care flight to a local hospital and “was the only involved party in the incident” per Vietti.
Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve told the The Reno Gazette Journal Monday that Renner was helping a stranded car on New Year’s Day when he was run over by his own vehicle. Schieve, who is friends with Renner, was called when the accident happened on Sunday morning.
“He was helping someone stranded in the snow,” Schieve told The Reno Gazette. “He is always helping others.”
Renner is a honorary Washoe County Deputy Sheriff and has “made a tremendous impact on this community” Sheriff Balaam said Tuesday, praising the actor in the short presser.
