Man accused of killing trucker who stopped to help in Smith Valley

A Sun Valley man is in custody after a shooting in Smith Valley resulted in the death of one truck driver and injury to another.

The shooting occurred on Highway 338 just north of the intersection with the Wellington cutoff in Lyon County.

According to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers began fielding 911 calls reporting an active shooter on the highway at around 8:30 p.m.

Lyon, Douglas and Mono deputies, Yerington police, Nevada Highway Patrol troopers and members of the Tri-County Gang Unit responded.

They found 29-year-old Matthew Strain hiding at the scene where he was taken into custody.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Strain was in a single vehicle collision on Highway 338 near Canal Road. He was walking north when he waved down a passing trucker.

At some point, Strain allegedly shot driver Zachary Sanchez, 36. Another truck came onto the scene and stopped, when Strain allegedly attacked that man as well in an attempt to steal his truck. That driver was able to flee the scene.

Residents are being asked to avoid the area because investigators have Highway 338 shut down for several hours. Strain is being held in Lyon County Jail on charges of open murder, battery and attempted robbery with a deadly weapon.