A 23-year-old Fernley man died in a motorcycle crash Friday night in Fallon after attempting to elude deputies during a chase, a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper said.
Gregory L. Vasquez died at Banner Churchill Community Hospital where he was taken following the crash. The incident was reported at around 9 p.m. According to NHP, a deputy with the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office had seen the Vasquez, operating a black 2004 Honda motorcycle, commit a traffic violation on Harrigan Road. The deputy attempted to make an enforcement stop.
The motorcyclist ignored the emergency lights and siren of the marked patrol vehicle and sped away. The deputy lost sight of the eluding bike but he believed the rider may have turned right onto New River Parkway, which has no outlet, and parked his patrol vehicle near that intersection, according to NHP.
A short time later the motorcyclist doubled back to the intersection, saw the patrol vehicle, and accelerated away once more. Vazquez, now traveling east again on New River Parkway, failed to negotiate a right hand turn as he applied heavy braking, according to NHP. The motorcycle struck an adjacent roadside curb before hitting a tree and ejected Vasquez, who was unresponsive at the scene and was transported to Banner Churchill Community Hospital where he died.
Trooper Doug Farris is investigating this crash. Witnesses or anyone with additional information about this event are encouraged to contact him at (775) 689-4614 or dfarris@dps.state.nv.us regarding case number NHP-140800112.