3 killed, 2 injured in North Las Vegas crash

Three people were killed and two were injured Wednesday night after a car was split in half in a North Las Vegas crash.

A red 2017 Kia Soul stolen from Henderson was speeding just before midnight near North Martin Luther King Boulevard and West Carey Avenue when the driver lost control and struck a light pole, according to a statement from the North Las Vegas Police Department.

“Due to the impact with the light pole the Kia Soul was cut in half,” police wrote.

Two people died at the scene, and a third person died on their way to the hospital. Two others were taken to University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. Police did not release ages of anyone involved in the wreck.

The Clark County coroner’s office is expected to identify the people who were killed after their families are notified.

Anyone with information about the crash may call North Las Vegas police at 702-633-9111.

On Thursday morning, a group gathered outside the nearby North Las Vegas Justice Court to watch officers investigative the crash. A morning calendar at the courthouse was briefly delayed because the road was blocked for several hours.

Among the observers, Jamal Buck was waiting for a hearing for two hours, and he said he saw the destroyed Kia, which was still in a parking lot.

“It was messed up,” he said simply.

Buck said he lives near the courthouse and often sees people speeding in the area.

Judy Todd said she saw the car “flying down” Martin Luther King south when it struck a light pole, split in half and flipped several times. She said all five people in the car appeared to be young adults.

The stop lights at the busy intersection were down until about 10:30 a.m. When the crash scene reopened, glass and black and red plastic scattered the parking lot of 1501 W. Carey Ave. The building was vacant.

Detectives had spray painted a section of the roadway where the car’s tires crossed Martin Luther King at the crosswalk over Carey and struck the pole head on. Debris spread 30 feet from the pole, which was scarred with red paint.

North Las Vegas police said Kia and Hyundai thefts are a national concern, and the department held two free steering wheel lock giveaways this year to prevent the theft.

“A steering wheel lock is the easiest and most cost-effective way to protect any car from being stolen,” police wrote in a statement.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.