Man run over during fight sparked by road rage dies, family says

A man left gravely wounded Tuesday when a driver ran him over during a fight sparked by road rage died Wednesday morning, according to relatives.

Family identified him as 73-year-old Marlin Smith, a retired police officer and former Navy lieutenant from Las Vegas.

Officers were called at 2:22 p.m. Tuesday to East Desert Inn Road and Boulder Highway after Smith was struck, according to Metropolitan Police Department homicide Lt. Ray Spencer.

Witnesses told detectives that the driver of a Chevy Suburban had cut off Smith’s Jeep on Desert Inn. When Smith honked his horn, a passenger in the Suburban got out and threw a beer can at the Jeep.

Spencer said this led to a fight between Smith and the passenger of the SUV, which unfolded in front of both vehicles.

When the fight moved to the front of the Suburban, the passenger got back into the vehicle and the driver ran Smith over, drove over a median and left the scene. Homicide is investigating because the crash was considered an intentional act, Spencer said.

Police later pulled over a Suburban and detained two people, but no suspects had been named as of Wednesday afternoon.

Smith was a devout Christian, his oldest sister, Elna Ermel, said. He became the eldest of four siblings — and the only boy — when his older brother died, she said.

“He was very protective of me growing up,” Ermel said. “He looked out for me and for all of us.”

Ermel said her brother was part of a local motorcycle group coordinated through his church.

Aside from his three sisters, Ermel said Smith and his wife cared for two daughters, a son, three granddaughters and a great-grandson.

“It’s just heartbreaking,” Ermel said.

The Clark County coroner’s office had not formally identified Smith as of Wednesday afternoon.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.