A 66-year-old man struck earlier this month at a busy West Sahara Avenue intersection has died from his injuries, according to the Clark County Coroner’s Office and police. The pedestrian was hit on July 3 at Sahara Avenue and Torrey Pines Drive as a car made a left turn, then was thrown onto the roadway. His death adds to a growing tally of traffic fatalities in Las Vegas police jurisdiction this year.
What police say
Investigators with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department say the crash happened around 7:49 p.m. on July 3. A 2010 Mazda 3 was traveling south on Torrey Pines Drive and turned left onto Sahara Avenue, where it struck a pedestrian who was crossing on the east side of the intersection. The car came to a controlled stop east of the intersection, and the man was taken to UMC Trauma with critical injuries, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Police said the driver, a 17-year-old female who stayed at the scene, showed no signs of impairment. A 19-year-old passenger in the Mazda was not hurt, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Coroner confirms death
The Clark County Coroner’s Office confirmed the 66-year-old pedestrian died on July 21, the coroner told FOX5. Police said his death is the 67th traffic-related fatality in the department’s jurisdiction this year, and the collision remains under investigation.
Why the intersection matters
Sahara Avenue is part of the city’s high-injury network and is flagged in the City of Las Vegas Vision Zero Action Plan Update as a corridor in need of intersection and pedestrian-safety upgrades. To cut down on crashes along Sahara and similar major streets, the plan recommends targeted improvements including signal changes, crosswalk upgrades and better lighting, according to the City of Las Vegas Vision Zero Action Plan Update.
What comes next
The LVMPD Collision Investigation Section is continuing to investigate the crash. Anyone with information or video is asked to contact the department’s Traffic Bureau at 702-828-3595. The coroner’s office will release the pedestrian’s identity after next-of-kin notification, and no charges have been announced in connection with the collision, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
