Fatal Las Vegas freeway crash believed caused by medical episode
The Clark County coroner’s office has ruled that a California man died of natural causes early Monday in what initially appeared to be a fatal single-vehicle crash on a south Las Vegas highway interchange.
About 5:40 a.m., Nicholas Smith’s death at the Interstate 15-215 Beltway interchange was reported as a fatal crash by the Nevada Highway Patrol. About a half-hour later, the agency announced on Twitter that investigators had changed the status of the crash to a medical episode.
The 51-year-old Boron, California, man died of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, also known as coronary artery disease, the coroner’s office determined Monday afternoon.
No other details surrounding the crash have been released. Calls to the Highway Patrol on Monday seeking more information were not immediately returned.
The crash did not prompt any road closures and was not causing any delays as of 6:10 a.m., according to the Highway Patrol.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.
