A Las Vegas father is facing serious charges after police say he intentionally drove his car into a tree while his 3-year-old son was strapped into a car seat in the back. The Friday crash near Centennial Center Boulevard and Azure Drive sent the child to the hospital and triggered a rapid child-welfare response.
Crash and arrest
According to KTNV, officers say Jesus Gonzalez crashed his vehicle into a tree with his young son inside, then told first responders he did it on purpose while trying to kill himself. Witnesses told police he had been driving erratically and never tried to brake before impact. Investigators say Gonzalez refused to cooperate at the scene and was arrested on a DUI charge, along with child-endangerment and attempted-murder counts.
Both Gonzalez and his son were taken to University Medical Center for treatment. According to the arrest report cited by KTNV, the boy was hospitalized with car-seat harness burns, scrapes and bruises.
Scene and injuries
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police responded shortly after 11 a.m. to a report of a single-vehicle collision near Centennial Center Boulevard and Azure Drive. FOX5 reported that one adult and one juvenile were taken to the hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
The crash remains under active investigation, and as of FOX5's report, police had released few additional details about what happened in the moments before the impact.
Child welfare response
Per KTNV, Child Protective Services put a "present danger plan" in place to protect the 3-year-old and his sister while authorities look more closely at the family's situation.
State policy describes a present danger plan as an immediate, short-term strategy to make sure a child is supervised and cared for by a responsible adult while the initial assessment takes place, according to the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services.
What the charges could mean
Under Nevada law, abuse, neglect or endangerment of a child is defined in NRS 200.508. The offense can be charged as a felony, with penalties that increase when a child suffers substantial bodily or mental harm.
Nevada's attempt statute, NRS 193.153, covers efforts to commit serious crimes and can be applied to attempted-murder allegations. Depending on the underlying offense and the specific facts alleged, it can carry significant prison time.
