California Highway Patrol says the deadly early morning crash involved multiple vehicles and shut down northbound lanes for hours.
Investigators executed a fresh warrant nearly 30 years after Smart disappeared in 1996, as the long-running case continues.
Police say an adult female driver died after being trapped in one of the vehicles involved in the midday collision.
Maya Millete vanished from her Chula Vista home in 2021; prosecutors said her husband’s online trail helped point investigators toward him.
Nevada State Police say the crash happened around 12:25 p.m. and closed part of US-50 before traffic resumed.
Crews used a technical rescue to reach the overturned vehicle about 80 feet below the freeway.
Authorities say the vehicle went over the 18th Street overpass early Friday and landed on southbound Interstate 280, where it caught fire.
One person died after the Honda became wedged beneath the trailer early Wednesday morning, closing nearby streets during the investigation.
Investigators used genetic genealogy and dental records to confirm the identity of remains found near Sugarloaf Mountain in 1981.
Police say the driver was traveling 96 mph before striking multiple vehicles in a midday crash that left a pedestrian dead.