(USNewsBreak.com) – Then-President George W. Bush nominated Larry Hicks to the US District Court for Nevada in 2001. He swore his oath of office following the 9/11 attacks and has served ever since. Recently, a vehicle struck the judge in Nevada, and he died from his injuries.
The crash occurred on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 29. The vehicle struck Hicks while he was a pedestrian at the time. First responders transported the judge, who survived the impact, to the hospital following the accident. He died shortly after that. He was 80 years old.
The driver of the vehicle that struck Hicks remained on scene and was cooperating with authorities, per media reports. Authorities didn’t think impairment was a factor in the accident.
US District Judge fatally killed in vehicle crash near Nevada courthouse, authorities sayhttps://t.co/wMt7fKI5rW
— MSN (@MSN) May 30, 2024
Hicks’ son, Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks, released a statement on behalf of his family. He said that in addition to being “a deeply admired lawyer and judge,” his father was also “a devoted friend, mentor, and a committed servant.” Yet, more than that, “he was, first and foremost, a man who put nothing before family.”
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo (R) also released a statement saying the entire state would mourn Hicks’ loss. He ordered the flags lowered to half-staff until sunset on Friday, May 31.
Hicks had a long, storied career that began in 1968 when he served as a prosecutor for the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office. He rose through the ranks and remained busy throughout his tenure.
While on the bench, Hicks saw a wide variety of cases come before him. He ruled on those involving casino workers, water rights, gold mines, and wild horses, to name a few. He also had a few high-profile cases in which he sentenced Harvey Whittemore, a lobbyist, to prison for illegal campaign donations and jailed former Clark County commissioners for taking bribes from a strip club owner.
His wife of nearly 59 years survives Hicks, as do his three children and 10 grandchildren.
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