A suspect in a deadly hit-and-run incident that caused a significant delay for travelers near the Las Vegas Strip has been brought into custody. Van Deangelo Burrell, 31, is being charged following the crash on Paradise Road near Naples Drive on August 26 which left Steven Struwe-Perez dead, as detailed in a report by News 3 LV and 8 News Now.
According to the arrest report, LVMPD detectives were swiftly to piece together the events leading up to and following the collision through the assistance of surveillance camera footage. They indicated that a piece of foam bumper lining found at the scene, which bore part of a code, was instrumental in identifying the vehicle as a Nissan Altima, spanning the years 2007 to 2012. The video showed a white Nissan with noticeable front-end damage traveling south on Paradise, which later was located outside an apartment further implicating Burrell.
The vehicle, when examined, revealed a web of cracks in the windshield and fragments of glass on the front seats, consistent with a collision involving a pedestrian. Due to the pattern of glass dispersal, which would later turn out to be a critical point in the investigation, detectives surmised that no passenger was in the car at the time of the fatal incident. This observation challenged the information initially provided by Burrell and his mother, who attributed the accident to a friend known as "Mike." The LVMPD also recovered clothing from Burrell's bedroom covered in glass fragments that matched what the suspect wore in the surveillance footage.
Despite the suspects' claim that "Mike" was in control of the vehicle, surveillance video from a neighboring property revealed that it was indeed Burrell that was seen operating the car both prior to and following the event of the collision. When confronted with this evidence, Burrell's narrative began to unravel, eventually admitting that he lied to police about who was driving at the time, as per 8 News Now. His mother recanted her initial statement as well, bringing to light that her son had indeed been behind the wheel.
The fallout of the crash was not only measured by the loss of Struwe-Perez but also in the hours-long closure of a primary route to Harry Reid International Airport, causing significant disruption. The arrest report by LVMPD places Burrell squarely at the scene, and his next court appearance is set for Tuesday, September 4.
