City honors good Samaritan Wayne Nash

A Carson City man who was shot after he stopped to help a motorist was honored along with his family Thursday by the Carson City Board of Supervisors.

In a proclamation read by Mayor Bob Crowell, Wayne Nash and his family were praised because they were "intent on helping a citizen in need and have suffered immensely for their unselfish behavior.

"The Nash family has a history of helping others without hesitation," the proclamation said. "The generous and caring attitude of the Nash family sets a wonderful example for our community."

Nash, 51, was shot in the right leg after he stopped to assist what he thought was a motorist in peril on the side of U.S. 395 in Washoe Valley on May 10.

A traffic engineer and assistant girls basketball coach at Carson High School, Nash said he saw Rene Angulo, 17, face down by the roadside, and then heard gunshots as Angulo's car sped away with Victor Rodriguez at the wheel.

Rodriguez, 24, pleaded guilty in mid-July to first-degree murder in the killing of Angulo and attempted murder of Nash. Rodriguez faces up to life in prison without parole when he's sentenced Oct. 1.

Nearly every seat in the Sierra Room of the community center was filled with well-wishers Thursday morning as Nash thanked them for their support.

"I'm hoping to swing a golf club next spring," he said, adding that "it's good to be alive. I've received lots of thoughts and prayers from throughout the country. My thoughts are also with Rene Angulo and his family. I know they are wishing he could be here."

Nash then called attention to Josh Patterson, who was the only motorist to stop that Mother's Day after seeing Nash's daughter Whitney trying to flag down help along the highway.

"A lot of people drove by and didn't stop as my daughter was waving her arms and I was laying there bleeding to death, but he did," Nash said of Patterson.

Patterson said after the presentation that he wasn't afraid when he first pulled over to help.

"My girlfriend and I had taken CPR and first aid training, and we thought it was a heart attack. Then we saw the blood," he said. Patterson is now attending Western Nevada College to become a police officer.

Nash also praised his wife Tami.

"Another Good Samaritan is my wife. I don't know if I would have done as well in her place. She is my guardian angel and I want to tell her and the world that I love her," Nash said, dropping to one knee and presenting her with a bouquet of red roses.

Anna Thornley was also at the ceremony on behalf of Gov. Jim Gibbons to present Nash with a proclamation.

Nash's actions "demonstrate the beauty of living from the heart," Thornley read from the state proclamation.

Nash became choked up when thanking Erin Been, a Carson High School teacher with whom he became friends five years ago while substitute teaching. Been helped organize the Thursday ceremony as well as a fund-raising event that raised $7,000 to help with the family's medical bills.

Brian Reedy, another teacher who helped write the city proclamation, said after the ceremony that as much as the family members are being celebrated now, they've also been through "an extremely traumatic event."

"Anything that can lift them up will help their healing to be stronger," Reedy said.

Those who would like to help the family with medical expenses may donate to the Wayne C. Nash fund at any Nevada Bank of America, where an account has been set up.