California man was found dead on a rural Sierra road. Deputies say suspect, 72, arrested

A 72-year-old man was arrested Sunday on suspicion of killing a Nevada City man on a rural Nevada County road.

Nevada County Sheriff’s deputies received a report 11:24 p.m. Saturday from a passing driver that a man appeared to be dead, lying on on the side of the road at Tyler Foote Crossing Road and Black Sands Mine Road, north of Nevada City.

Deputies arrived and found the 61-year-old man on the ground outside his vehicle, the Sheriff’s Office said. The vehicle “showed signs of damage to the exterior.”

The identity of the man has not yet been released.

Detectives determined his death was a homicide, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Anthony Eric Stewart of North San Juan was identified as a suspect and arrested Sunday on suspicion of murder.

He was booked into the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility and remains in custody without bail.

“Determination of the victim’s cause of death is pending an autopsy,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. “The investigation remains active and ongoing.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office at 530-265-7880.