Deadly shooting of Goldfield tow truck driver leaves family, community in despair

Madison Kimbro
·2 min read
5

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Derek Cornell was responding to a service call Thursday morning when he was shot and killed on the side of U.S. 95 about five miles south of Goldfield, Nevada.

Cornell, 48, who lives and works in Goldfield, which is about 185 miles northwest of Las Vegas, was responding to a service call when he was shot. Another tow truck driver, also at the scene, was injured by broken glass and reported the shooting to the Esmeralda County Sheriff’s Office. Nye County Sheriff’s Office also responded because the suspect fled the scene.

Goldfield tow truck driver gunned down on US 95

Clayton Agner, a Cornell family friend is devastated over Derek’s tragic passing.

Family, friends, and colleagues revved their engines, flashed their lights, and honked their horns at Sunset Park in Las Vegas Sunday. Cornell was a well-respected member of the towing community in Nevada.

<em>Tow truck drivers gather in Las Vegas at Sunset Park to honor driver Derek Cornell who was shot and killed while responding to a service call on Jan. 18, 2024. (KLAS)</em>
Tow truck drivers gather in Las Vegas at Sunset Park to honor driver Derek Cornell who was shot and killed while responding to a service call on Jan. 18, 2024. (KLAS)

“The towing community is very close-knit, especially in a state like Nevada, where it’s a big state, but really a small community,” General Manager of Big Valley Towing, Jose Norena said.

Being a tow truck driver has risks, but typically not a shooting.

“Every six days on the side of the highway, there’s a tow truck driver struck and killed, according to AAA,” Agner said.

<em>Friends leave messages for slain Wolf Pack tow truck driver Derek Cornell. (KLAS)</em>
Friends leave messages for slain Wolf Pack tow truck driver Derek Cornell. (KLAS)

“Not only do we face dangers on a day-to-day basis, but now we have to worry about senseless violence during our course of duty too,” Norena added.

Derek Cornell Jr. is proud of what his father had accomplished over the years and the connections he made in Las Vegas.

<em>Tow truck driver Derek Cornell was shot and killed when he responded to a service call on U.S. 95 near Goldfield, Nevada on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. (Credit: Kenya Cornell)</em>
Tow truck driver Derek Cornell was shot and killed when he responded to a service call on U.S. 95 near Goldfield, Nevada on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. (Credit: Kenya Cornell)

“To see the community pull together like this and to see the outreach my father had on this town and towing community means a lot.”

Derek was also a volunteer firefighter and is survived by his wife and four kids living in Goldfield, Nevada.

U.S. 95 was closed for several hours while law enforcement officers searched for the suspect. He was taken into custody but has not been identified yet.

If you’d like to contribute to the Cornell family, this is the GoFundMe link.

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