Carson man hits woman in suspected road rage accident

A 27-year-old Carson City man who allegedly crushed a woman between the minivan he was driving and a house was taken into custody Sunday morning on suspicion of battery with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of an injury accident and DUI.

Leonardo Cardoza allegedly began tailgating the victim and her fiance on Highway 50 near Lompa Lane. The victim drove onto the freeway and exited on College Parkway, heading west, with the silver minivan still behind them, according to the police report.

Near Retail or Roop streets, a patrol car was seen and the minivan reportedly backed off from the vehicle.

The victim then pulled into the driveway of her mother's house, with the minivan close behind. When the victim exited the vehicle, the minivan allegedly drove forward, pinning her between the van and the house.

The victim's fiance told deputies he went to the driver's side of the minivan and began hitting the driver. The driver then backed out and drove south on Cinnabar, where he crashed into a backyard two blocks away, according to the report.

Cardoza then allegedly walked back toward the victim's home where victim's brother grabbed a table leg and began to hit Cardoza. The victim's fiance began to hit him as well, stopping when they heard sirens, according to what the victim's fiance told the sheriff's office.

The victim suffered a broken pelvis, injury to several of her organs and a broken rib. Both Cardoza and the victim were flown by Careflight to a Reno hospital, from which Cardoza was released, according to the report.

"It appears to be some type of road rage," Sheriff Ken Furlong said Sunday. "He just did it. He attacked her with his car."

Alcohol appears to be a factor, although not a cause of the attack, he said.

Anyone with information about the attack is encouraged to call the detectives division of the sheriff's office at 775-887-2500. The district attorney's office has not yet filed a criminal complaint with the formal charges against Cardoza.