Gardnerville man dies after fight at Christmas party

A Gardnerville man has died following a fist fight during a Friday night Christmas party at a Douglas County cement plant.

Witnesses reported that the man was intoxicated and provoking a fight at the party at the Big Materials Cement Plant, near Kimmerling Road in the Gardnerville Ranchos, Douglas County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Lance Modispacher said Saturday.

Another employee at the party, also a Gardnerville man, struck the victim in the head with his fist. The victim fell and struck his head on a hard object, according to the reports. The fight happened about 8 p.m.

The victim was taken to Washoe Medical Center in Reno, where he was pronounced dead about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, Modispacher said.

"The other party was not arrested," Modispacher said. "This may be a case of self-defense."