Update: Washoe County medical examiner identifies suspect in death of tribal officer
Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter
The Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the suspect who hit officer Anthony Francone with his car in the incident on State Route 446 last Friday night as Nolan Ray, 33.
Ray’s vehicle hit Francone as he was attempting to stop it with spike strips. Other officers at the scene then shot Ray.
The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe said the FBI is investigating the incident and that it will provide an update once the FBI releases the information.
Pyramid Lake police officer killed Friday night
Update:
The officer killed Friday night has been identified by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe as Anthony Francone.
State Route 446 remained closed all night due to the investigation and was reopened at 9:16 a.m.
PLPT chairman James Phoenix issued a statement on social media Saturday morning: “Good morning, it’s with great sadness to say we lost one of our own officers . The incident happened last night, and it’s unfortunate. The PLPT PD and Rangers will still stand tall and be on duty today. The investigation is still ongoing. Prayers to family, friends, and everyone who knew him.”
Francone was hit by a vehicle after a chase with a suspect on SR 446 about 7 p.m. Friday. The suspect was then shot by other officers.
No other details about the incident or the suspect have been released.
Tributes to Francone poured in on social media.
Francone was a former deputy with both the Storey County and Eureka County Sheriff’s Office.
The Storey Councy Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook that Francone served the residents of Storey County for more than a decade in the rank of Deputy and Corporal. During that time, he was recognized and awarded for his bravery, his duty to protect the public, and his fellow officers. While with the Storey County Sheriff’s Office, Francone was the agency’s number one traffic enforcement officer and was the department’s primary RADAR instructor, lead accident investigator and field training officer.
“On August 25, 2023 Pyramid Lake Tribal Police Officer and former Storey County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony Francone was killed in the line of duty attempting to stop a fleeing suspect,” The Storey County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook. “Anthony’s humor was definitely one of his greatest qualities and he always had a way of making people laugh regardless of the situation. Anthony loved his family and was very proud to be a law enforcement officer. Please join our Deputies, Sheriff Cullen, and Storey County in offering our condolences to Anthony’s family, the Pyramid Lake Tribal Police, and all of his friends, including those in both law enforcement and fire service.”
The Eureka County Sheriff’s Office said Francone served Eureka County for several years before moving west due to family.
“It is with a very heavy heart that ECSO announces the line of duty death of a former ECSO Deputy,” the Eureka County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook. “Anthony Francone was killed last night, in the line of duty while performing his duties as a Police Officer with the Pyramid Lake Police Department. Anthony Francone, worked in both Eureka and Crescent Valley, had a passion for Traffic Safety and loved the communities he served. RIP Deputy Francone, we have the watch. Anthony Francone EOW 08-25-2023.”
Original story
A Pyramid Lake Police Department officer was killed in the line of duty Friday night.
The officer was hit by a vehicle on State Route 446 near mile marker 11/12. The suspect was shot in the incident. State Route 446/447 were closed due to the incident, with State Route 446 traffic being rerouted back to Reno.
This story will be updated when more information is made available.
I’m sorry to hear about the loss of officer Francone.