1 dead, several injured in east Las Vegas crash
A 25-year-old man died and two others were critically injured in an suspected DUI crash early Thursday involving two cars and a box truck in east Las Vegas.
The crash occurred shortly before 4:30 a.m. at East Tropicana Avenue and South Nellis Boulevard, said Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Alejandra Zambrano. Detectives believe the 25-year-old Las Vegas man was driving a gray 2008 Nissan Maxima east on Tropicana and failed to stop for a red light at Nellis, colliding with the side of a 2014 Freightliner box truck in the intersection.
The man driving the Maxima was believed to be impaired, according to a Metro news release.
During the initial collision, the Maxima slid under the body of the truck, killing the the driver and causing critical injuries to passengers Clifton Phillips, 69, and Jimmy Elosardo-Analla, 25, both from Las Vegas, police said. None of them wore a seat belt.
Another passenger, Crystal Bolke, a 35-year-old Las Vegas woman who was in the backseat, was wearing a seat belt and suffered minor injuries.
The Maxima’s passengers were taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, police said.
The truck overturned during the crash and slid into the front of a 2013 Nissan Versa that was stopped at the light in a northbound Nellis travel lane, police said. The truck’s driver, 38-year-old Martin Reyes-Molina, and passenger Jason Bustamante, 40, both suffered minor injuries and were taken to University Medical Center.
The driver of the Versa was unhurt, police said.
Metro’s fatal crash detail was investigating. The intersection reopened about 12:15 p.m., according to an email from the Regional Transportation Commission.
The man who died will be identified by the Clark County coroner’s office after his family has been notified. His death marked the 78th traffic-related fatality Metro has investigated this year, police said.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter. Marvin Clemons contributed to this report.
