Men killed in possible street race identified
Two men killed Sunday morning in a single-car crash that may have been caused during a street race were identified Monday as 19-year-old Tyler Ray Watts and 21-year-old Blake James Shirley.
Both men were from Las Vegas, the coroner's office reported.
The third person in the car, 22-year-old Jennifer Schneider of Las Vegas, was injured in the 6:30 a.m. crash in the northwest valley, Las Vegas police said.
Shirley was driving a 2006 Nissan 350Z carrying Watts and Schneider. The sports car was traveling east on Centennial Center Boulevard, east of Grand Montecito Parkway and south of the Las Vegas Beltway, when it slid sideways onto the raised median and struck a palm tree on a curve in front of several car dealerships.
The 350Z rolled over onto its roof. Schneider was partially thrown from the car. Shirley and Watts died at the scene.
Schneider remained hospitalized in critical condition, Las Vegas police Sgt. Richard Strader said Monday at a news conference at the crash scene.
Strader was joined by Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Ross. Both pleaded for drivers to slow down.
"We need your help to get this message out there," Ross said. "The streets in Las Vegas were not designed to be racetracks."
Anyone with information on the incident can call Detective P. David Rooney at 702-828-8189 or Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.
Review-Journal reporter Richard Lake contributed to this report. Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.
