Two people were killed Sunday night after a speeding car slammed into a tree near Grand Teton Drive and Aliante Parkway in North Las Vegas, police said. A woman riding in the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, and the man who was driving was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Authorities said the driver died Monday morning. Detectives are still working to determine whether impairment or other factors played a role in the crash.
What happened
As reported by KTNV, North Las Vegas police responded around 7:10 p.m. to a report of a single-vehicle crash and found a 2016 Ford Taurus that had been traveling east on Grand Teton when it left the roadway and struck a tree. First responders pronounced the female passenger dead at the scene, police told KTNV.
The male driver was taken to University Medical Center in critical condition. University Medical Center lists its main campus at 1800 W. Charleston Blvd. and serves as one of the valley's primary hospitals for serious-trauma patients.
Investigation
North Las Vegas police told reporters that speed was a significant factor in the collision and that detectives remained on scene to determine whether impairment or other circumstances contributed, according to KTNV. Authorities did not release the victims' names, citing pending next-of-kin notifications.
Local context
The crash comes during the valley's annual "100 Deadliest Days" period, when law-enforcement agencies typically see a spike in serious collisions. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department recently published a list of high-crash intersections that included sections of Grand Teton, highlighting safety concerns near the area, per FOX5. City planning documents also identify speeding as a recurring driver factor in serious crashes, according to the City of Las Vegas' Vision Zero update.
North Las Vegas police asked anyone with information about the crash to contact the department at (702) 633-9111, per the City of North Las Vegas. The NLVPD Traffic Division is handling follow-up as authorities continue their investigation.
