UPDATE JAN.29: Desiree Bragg, the woman who was chased and struck by a vehicle in a road rage incident on Saturday night in Carson City, has died.
Bragg was taken off life support Tuesday, Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong confirmed. Friends on Facebook began posting messages on Carson Now. Furlong confirmed and said he and Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo were meeting and would make more information available later today.
Furlong said he believed Bragg was 19 years old but wasn't able to confirm her age at the time he spoke with Carson Now. He said he was alerted to her death while he was in a meeting.
The 27-year-old suspect, Leonardo Cardoza, will likely face murder charges.
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Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong released more details into Saturday night's road rage incident that sent a Carson City woman to the hospital with serious injuries. The suspect, Leonardo Cardoza, 27, was also flown to the hospital and was released Sunday morning and is now in the Carson City Jail facing multiple felony charges including battery with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries and DUI.
The following report is from Sheriff Furlong:
At approximately 9:30 p.m. Saturday night, the Carson City Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a pedestrian severely injured in a vehicle accident. Prior to Deputies arriving, witnesses reported that the driver had fled the area, but crashed his vehicle into a fence/yard just two blocks away, then he returned to the scene on foot where a physical altercation had taken place.
Witnesses reported that the adult female victim was westbound on Hwy 50 East near Lompa Lane when she and her fiancé (also in the car) noticed a car tailgating them. When they exited onto the Hwy 580 by-pass headed to College Parkway they noted the vehicle continued to tailgate them closely. After exiting the freeway, at the 3500 block of Cinnabar, the victim pulled into her mothers driveway and exited her car. At that time, the tailgater who had followed them accelerated his vehicle into the driveway, crushing the victim between his van and the house.
The suspect backed out of the driveway and fled south on Cinnabar. At the intersection of Cinnabar and College Parkway, the suspect’s vehicle was disabled when he drove his van into/through a fence. The suspect then returned on foot to the Cinnabar residence area where he was confronted by residents.
The suspect, Leonardo Cardoza, born January 27, 1986, of Carson City, was transported to Renown for treatment and released to custody early this morning. He is being held on suspicion of Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Injuries, and DUI.
The victim of the incident was also transported to Renown where her serious injuries included broken bones and internal injuries. Her identity is not being released at this time.
As of this release, there has not been a motive established for the incident and no none relationship between the victim and the suspect has been determined. The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Detectives Division at 887-2500.