A tragic multi-vehicle collision has claimed two lives and left several injured in Las Vegas, thrusting the city's traffic fatalities to a somber tally of 144 for the year. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) reported that the incident, involving a 12-vehicle pileup, occurred at approximately 3:29 p.m. on November 18, on W. Cheyenne Avenue near N. Jones Blvd. In a LVMPD's Post, authorities highlighted the Infiniti G37's high speed as a contributing factor when it failed to slow for stopped traffic at a red light, initiating the catastrophic event.
The crash resulted in the deaths of the Infiniti's passenger and a 38-year-old male driver of another vehicle. Although the names of the deceased have not been made public pending family notifications, Jose Gutierrez, 19, the driver of the Infiniti, has been charged in absentia with four counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm. Another pair, Jose Pena-Dominguez, 27, and his 24-year-old female passenger, have been reported to sustain serious and life-threatening injuries, respectively. This information emerges from details shared by Hoodline covering the aftermath of the crash.
Emergency services worked swiftly at the scene, where several victims required immediate transport to UMC Trauma for medical attention. The extent of the injuries varied, spanning minor to serious, indicating not just the physical impact of the collision, but the myriad ways in which such a violent event reverberates through the bodies and lives of those involved. Medical personnel determined on site that the passenger of the Infiniti and the driver from another vehicle had died, as per the report from LVMPD.
Those who sustained non-life-threatening injuries included Sharundah Robertson, Shawn Collins, Aljena Jackson, and Floyd Hilliard, whereas Simon Fortunato, Laura De La Fuente, Analilia Rivera, Stephanie Carrillo, among others, walked away unscathed. LVMPD's Collision Investigation Section continues to scrutinize the crash, piecing together the chronology of events that morphed a normal Tuesday afternoon into an arbiter of tragedy. "Please slow down, stay alert, and drive responsibly. Every choice behind the wheel matters," concluded the LVMPD statement.
