Ernest Bavarsad was on his usual morning jog down Tropicana Avenue when a vehicle struck him and sped off, leaving the astronomy professor in critical condition and his family searching for answers. The only trace of the driver was a mirror from the vehicle, recovered at the scene.
Bavarsad, who teaches astronomy at the College of Southern Nevada and also teaches science at a local high school, was struck while on his morning jog, according to his family, as reported by KTNV Las Vegas. A random passerby called 9-1-1 after finding him hurt along the roadway Wednesday morning. He was rushed to University Medical Center, where he underwent surgery Friday morning to stop a brain bleed.
His daughter, Amia Bavarsad, said her father runs down Tropicana five days a week and typically makes it home by 6:30 a.m. — a routine she says she has repeatedly warned him to be careful on. This time, something went horribly wrong, and the driver did not stop.
Family Rushes to His Side
Ernest's mother, Silvia Bavarsad, lives in California but rushed to UMC as soon as she heard the news. She told the station that Ernest is recovering but is in a lot of pain, describing her son's condition in the days since the crash. Silvia said she hoped to find witnesses who could help identify the driver responsible.
Investigators recovered only a mirror from the vehicle at the scene — the sole piece of physical evidence so far. The family believes the vehicle was a dark-colored truck and is asking anyone who saw the crash, or who may have video of it, to contact police.
A Long Road to Recovery
Trauma center nurses told the family it should take about six weeks for Ernest to recover, though it remains too early to know whether he will be able to return to teaching. Nevada State Police told the outlet's reporter they will have an update on their investigation by Monday.
Hit-and-run cases carry serious legal weight in Nevada. Under Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 484E, a driver involved in a crash causing bodily injury or death must immediately stop, return to the scene, provide identifying information and render reasonable assistance to the injured, including arranging transportation for medical treatment. Failing to comply is a category B felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine between $2,000 and $5,000.
Part of a Troubling Pattern on Valley Roads
Bavarsad's case comes amid other recent pedestrian crashes in the valley. Eight days before his surgery, Las Vegas police investigated a separate crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian near Duke Ellington Way and Tropicana Avenue, which left that pedestrian in critical condition, according to News 3 Las Vegas.
Separately, in a report published October 8, the Las Vegas Sun said a 34-year-old pedestrian was killed in a crash on North Marion Drive in the northeast valley after a Ram 1500 pickup making a right turn struck the person inside a crosswalk. That driver remained at the scene and showed no signs of impairment, according to police, and the death marked the 95th traffic-related fatality in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's jurisdiction this year, per the Las Vegas Sun.
For now, Bavarsad's family is focused on his recovery and on finding the person who left him on the side of Tropicana Avenue. Anyone with information or video of the crash is urged to contact police.
