- A 19-year-old driver allegedly caused a deadly 12-car crash in Vegas
- Two people died, including the teen’s passenger, and several were hurt.
- Police believe the teen was speeding moments before the deadly crash.
A 19-year-old driver is under investigation for allegedly causing a massive 12-vehicle collision in Las Vegas earlier this week that left two people dead and several others injured.
Authorities say the driver, identified as Jose Gutierrez, now faces four counts of reckless driving. The incident occurred only months after Gutierrez had a previous jail sentence suspended following a misdemeanor conviction for resisting a public officer.
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At around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Gutierrez’s Infiniti G37 reportedly struck several vehicles stopped at a red light along North Jones Boulevard. His passenger, 20-year-old Adilene Duran Rincon, was pronounced dead at the scene, as was another motorist, 38-year-old Edward Garcia.
Authorities say that several others were transported to the hospital with injuries, including one in a critical condition while another sustained a minor brain bleed and was hospitalized overnight.
After reviewing video surveillance from near the scene and speaking with witnesses, police believe the 19-year-old was speeding along Cheyenne Avenue just before the crash.
A total of 18 people were impacted by the crash, ranging in age from 5 to 75 years old. The intersection had to be closed for 12 hours while local authorities cleared the scene.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Gutierrez was booked in absentia on four counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm. One witness, Floyd Hilliard, said he estimated the car’s speed to be around 80 miles per hour.
“I did not see the driver coming,” he said. “He had to be going at least 80 miles per hour. A couple of people were ejected from their cars. That’s how fast he was going. I did not know what was going on. Then, to get out of the car and see people on the ground, it was scary.”
Court records indicate that in June, Gutierrez pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of resisting a public officer. The plea stemmed from an earlier incident in which he allegedly made verbal threats, reportedly saying, “I’ll kill you,” and “I’ll shoot you”, to an officer who had responded to a battery call.
Opening image via 8 News Now
