BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Drivers say detour stranded them in Nevada desert during F1 weekend

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

maylen

https://digital-stage.newsnationnow.com/

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118165728

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118184948

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A trip leaving Las Vegas turned treacherous during Formula One weekend when a Los Angeles woman said Google Maps took them on a detour into the middle of the desert.

“The car is like jumping up and down,” Shelby Easler recalled. “I’m like, ‘where are we going?”‘

Easler told NewsNation affiliate KLAS she was in Southern Nevada to watch F1 just over a week ago, when her family was stopped by a massive dust storm that closed Interstate 15 at Primm on Nov. 19.

“It said suggested alternate detour, save 50 minutes,” Easler said, speaking about Google Maps, “So, we’re like great.”

A trip leaving Las Vegas turned treacherous during Formula One weekend when a Los Angeles woman said Google Maps took them on a detour into the middle of the desert. (Photo credit: Shelby Easler)

However, that detour she said the navigational app suggested became anything but great, when they joined dozens of others stranded in the desert near Sandy Valley, Nevada.

“You can’t really turn around,” Easler said, describing the situation. “Because there’s like walls of dirt and whatever rocks on either side of us.”

After about two hours, Easler said they were able to turn around to safely get back to the interstate, but she said Google Maps was still telling them to keep going.

A trip leaving Las Vegas turned treacherous during Formula One weekend when a Los Angeles woman said Google Maps took them on a detour into the middle of the desert. (Photo credit: Shelby Easler)

KLAS reached out to Google about the mishap and received this statement from a company spokesperson.

“We apologize for the incident that happened last weekend and can confirm that we’ll no longer route drivers traveling between Las Vegas and Barstow down those roads. Today, drivers making that trip are being routed through Interstate 15, which has been reopened.”

“I can’t imagine how much damage this has done,” Easler said of the ordeal. “For everyone that has been involved.”

She said that damage forced her family to tow their car back to Las Vegas to get $5,000 worth of repairs. She then booked a flight back to Los Angeles, which arrived the following day.

Regardless of the stress and emotional strain, Easler said she’s just glad everyone is okay.

“Glad we got home safely,” she concluded.

Easler said this was her family’s first time driving to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, which added to the confusion about the suggested detour.

West

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Sunny

la

69°F Sunny Feels like 69°
Wind
6 mph SW
Humidity
27%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 46F. Winds light and variable.
46°F Clear to partly cloudy. Low 46F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
1 mph N
Precip
9%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous