Man, child seen leaving accident

A Ford Bronco drove onto the grass at the corner of Division and Washington streets, taking out a mailbox and clipping a rear-view mirror before smashing into a birch tree Sunday afternoon.

A witness who asked to remain anonymous said he saw a man get out with a child of about age 5 or 6.

"A young man jumped out with a child. He said, 'Let's get .... out of here,' and they crawled into a car that was right there behind them and drove off," the witness said.

"It sounded like they were racing," he added.

Carson City Sheriff's Deputy Dan Ochsenschlager said the incident would be reported as a hit and run misdemeanor offense, though there were some special circumstances.

About 20 minutes after a 911 call reporting the crash, a man called to report his Bronco had been stolen, Ochsenschlager said. The Sheriff's Office was unable to reach the caller to follow up.

Dirt along the Division Street fence was dug up as if a plow had been dragged through. Primroses were knocked down and stripped of leaves.

"He was going at a pretty good rate of speed," said a witness whose mailbox had been broken off. He also asked to remain anonymous. The dented mailbox lay on its side about 40 feet from where it had been hit.

"It's not the first time this has happened," he said. "It's about the third time. I'll drag my mailbox back in when everybody's through taking pictures of it."

The truck, primer-gray with tinted windows and a black hard top, had a tool box inside with the name "Anderson" on it. Its stereo had been pulled out with wires left hanging.

You Can Help

If you have any information on this incident, call 887-2500.