U.S. District Court Judge Larry Hicks Killed in Crash Near Courthouse

Lina PortmanMay 30, 2024

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RENO, Nev. — U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks, appointed by former President George W. Bush in 2001, died Wednesday after being struck by a vehicle in Nevada. He was 80 years old.

The Reno Police Department was called to a vehicle-pedestrian crash near the federal courthouse in downtown Reno around 2:15 p.m. Hicks was taken to a hospital but died shortly afterward, authorities said.

The driver involved in the crash remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation, authorities added. Impairment does not appear to be a factor in the accident.

Officials paid tribute to Hick, who was remembered for his love for his family and the Reno community.

“Today’s news about the Honorable Judge Larry R. Hicks, who served Nevada for over 53 years, is tragic,” Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said on X. “Despite his notable accomplishments, Judge Hicks once said, 'My greatest pleasure in life is my family.' His philosophy of life was based on a balance between family, work and oneself.

“Larry Hicks was a one-of-a-kind man, revered in our community and, above all, loved by his family. On behalf of my family and the men and women of the Sheriff's Office, we extend our deepest condolences to Larry's son, Chris, the current District Attorney, and to Larry's entire family. Judge Hicks' legacy will forever be remembered in Washoe County.

On Wednesday evening, the District Attorney's Office released a statement on behalf of the Hicks family:

“Today our community lost an extraordinary man. Judge Larry Hicks was a deeply admired attorney and judge, a devoted friend, mentor, and devoted servant to the administration of justice. For us, he was above all a man who put nothing before his family. He was a hero in every way, a loving husband of almost 59 years, a loving father, a doting dad and a brother. His loss is beyond comprehension.

Prosecutor, judge, father

Hicks was a former Washoe County prosecutor and the father of Washoe County Prosecutor Chris Hicks.

In a video interview with his son in 2022, Judge spoke about the quality he was most proud of and that he got from his parents: “A dedication to family above all other qualities. My mother and my father were totally devoted to their children.”

In the interview, Hicks said he and his wife, with whom he also had two daughters, would celebrate their 57th anniversary.

Hicks was born in Evanston, Ohio, and his family moved from Los Angeles to Reno when he was 13. He graduated from Reno High School and became the first person in his family to attend college when he entered the University of Nevada, where he joined Sigma Nu Fraternity, according to the interview.

In 2020, Chris Hicks posted a tribute to his father after winning an award.

“Recently, the State Bar of Nevada honored my father, Judge Larry Hicks, with the Presidential Award for his illustrious career,” Chris Hicks wrote. “This prestigious award is given to those whose conduct, honesty and integrity represent the highest standards of the legal profession.

“Congratulations Dad. There is no one more deserving! Thank you for being the father, mentor and advocate that you are.”

Earlier this month, Hicks presided over a trial of a private investigator who claimed Sparks police detectives violated his rights by naming him as the person who installed a tracking device on the mayor's vehicle from Reno, Hillary Schieve.

Lina Portman

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