Hit-and-run reports investigated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department are up more than 60 percent this year, a surge Metro links to a recent change in Nevada law that expanded where hit-and-run rules apply. Metro recorded 2,796 hit-and-run reports through June 7, 2026, compared with 1,727 during the same period last year, swelling an already busy caseload for a relatively small traffic-investigations team.
As reported by KSNV, Lt. Cody Fulwiler of Metro's Traffic Bureau said the spike "significantly is because of these private property hit-and-runs" and that officers are now taking criminal reports for crashes at shopping-center lots, grocery stores and casino garages that previously tended to be handled only through insurance claims.
How the law changed
The shift traces back to the Nevada Supreme Court’s decision in Urias v. State, which held that the state's hit-and-run statute did not apply to some collisions on private property; the opinion is available via FindLaw. Lawmakers responded in 2025 with Senate Bill 359 to close that gap, and the enacted statute (Chapter 260) became effective Oct. 1, 2025, according to the official legislative record on the Nevada Legislature website.
What the revised statute requires
Under the revised code, a driver who damages an unattended vehicle must stop and either locate the owner and exchange information or leave a written notice with contact details. Failing to do so can create criminal exposure under state law. See NRS 484E.040 on Justia for the duty upon damaging an unattended vehicle.
Detectives stretched thin
Lt. Fulwiler told KSNV that Metro has "four hit-and-run detectives for the whole entire valley, each one of them has approximately 300 cases," so investigators are prioritizing files where there are cameras, plates or witness accounts. Translation: that small squad is slammed, and many lower-severity property-damage cases may still be resolved through insurance rather than as full criminal investigations.
Why many cases go cold
Police and local reporting note that a lack of witnesses, surveillance video or license-plate information often leaves little to work with after a driver flees. Earlier coverage by KTNV explained that officers historically treated many parking-lot collisions as civil matters, which limited law-enforcement involvement until the statute changed.
What drivers should do
Nevada law requires drivers who damage an unattended vehicle to notify the nearest police office or leave a written note with their name and contact information. Photos, time-stamped video and witness contact details can greatly help detectives if a report is filed. For the statutory language in NRS 484E.050, see Nevada Public Law, and if you need to report a crash, contact the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Collision Investigation Section for guidance.
