Trying to avoid motor vehicle collisions in Las Vegas can be difficult enough under normal circumstances. But the odds of a serious accident increase dramatically when one or more drivers are actively engaging in a dangerous activity – like, say, street racing.
That appears to be the case in a fatal crash in Las Vegas last week. On Thursday night shortly after 9:45pm, two cars were traveling eastbound on Charleston Boulevard at a high rate of speed, and witnesses say they appeared to be street racing. The 2000 Ford Mustang and the 1992 Honda Civic were in the left and center lanes, respectively when they reached Sloan Boulevard.
As the Mustang tried to pass a 2001 GMC Denali that was driving eastbound in the center lane, the Denali attempted to merge into the left lane. The Mustang struck the left side of the SUV and pushed it into the driver’s side of the Civic, which then crashed and caught fire. The 27-year old driver of the Civic was pronounced dead at the scene, and the man and woman in the Denali were transported to University Medical Center with injuries. The 17-year old driver of the Mustang was arrested.
Even though the Mustang itself didn’t impact the Civic, the 17-year old driver will almost certainly be held responsible for the death of the 27-year old man who drove the Civic. That’s because the Mustang hit the Denali and caused it to strike the Civic. Therefore, the parents of the 17-year old (because he is a minor) may be named as defendants in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of the 27-year old Civic driver.