James Perry identified as fatal accident victim

Award-winning firefighting publication editor James A. Perry, 69, was killed in a head-on accident on Thursday.

Perry was southbound on Highway 395 in a pickup when he collided head on with a Ford Expedition at 7:49 a.m.

The driver of the Expedition, identified as Gardnerville resident 43-year-old Kenneth Ceglia was helicoptered to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno for treatment. His condition is unknown.

According to the Nevada Highway Patrol, Perry's Chevrolet pickup crossed the double yellow line and enter the northbound lane. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

The accident blocked Highway 395 for more than an hour before one lane was opened. The accident was completely cleared by 11 a.m.

Perry, who lived in north Carson Valley's Mission Hot Springs, edited the Los Angeles Firefighter, and was a former member of The Record-Courier readers' panel.

Perry received a first-place award for his work on the Los Angeles Firefighter for best in-house or corporate publication from the Los Angeles Press Club in June.

He had been editor of the publication for nearly 40 years during which time it had received more than 160 photography and journalism awards.

Perry is also the former editor of the Los Angeles Firemen's Grapevine magazine and executive editor at the American Firefighter magazine.

Witnesses to the crash or anyone with additional information is being asked to contact the Major Accident Investigation Team at (775) 689-4623 regarding case No. NHP-0912030316