The man who hit a cyclist on Eastlake Blvd. in May of last year, has been sentenced to 26 years in prison. Travis Smith (dob 9/24/81) will be eligible for parole after eight years. He previously pled guilty to Duty to Stop at the Scene of a Crash Involving Death and Reckless Driving, Resulting in Death.
Deputies with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office responded to the two-lane rural road in Washoe Valley on May 28, 2025, following a report of a hit and run. Witnesses attempted to render aid on scene, and first responders transported the victim to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
During the investigation, deputies spoke with several witnesses who had seen Smith speeding at close to 100mph immediately before the crash, and learned Smith had crossed into an oncoming lane to pass a car. After Smith came back into his lane, he hit the cyclist, who had been riding an E-bike on the right side of the road. However, instead of stopping, Smith kept driving. Several people tried to stop the defendant, with one witness trying to follow him. At the scene, deputies found pieces of Smith’s car, identifying the make and model. The following day, Smith called 9-1-1 and admitted to the hit and run. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office’s investigation found that Smith was driving at speeds between 82 and 92mph at the time he struck the victim in the area of a 35mph speed limit.
Deputy District Attorney Brett Dieffenbach represented the State in the case, and at sentencing, argued that this tragic event was inevitable, given Smith’s lengthy history of speeding citations and the extreme speeds he traveled prior to colliding with the victim. Because of that, Smith was deserving of the maximum sentence the law permits, especially considering the impact to the family and the death of the victim. The Honorable Lynne Jones presided and imposed the sentence.
