The folks that market Las Vegas likely as a tourist destination would prefer that news of this horrific chain of events stayed in that city. The deadly sequence started on an otherwise ordinary Vegas Sunday when two men took to the streets of the gambling mecca in a van intent on “pranking” passersby.
The two men took to the crowded streets of Las Vegas with trouble in mind. As the two 20-something men drove around the city, the passenger would lean halfway outside of the window and attempt to strike pedestrians waling on sidewalks. After several attempts, the passenger failed to connect with any of the pedestrians he and his motoring cohort evidently had in their malicious sights.
Eventually, the pair of miscreant motorists came upon a woman bicyclist, reportedly in her mid-50s. In this case, the passenger was able to connect with an intended target. As the van drove by the bicyclist, the passenger extended himself out of the vehicle and pushed the bicyclist to the ground. The impact killed her, the woman evidently being pronounced dead at the scene.
After the lethal assault on the bicyclist, the perpetrator lost his balance while leaning far outside of the van. He fell out of the moving vehicle. As he was tumbling to the pavement himself, his head slammed into a light post. He died of his traumatic brain and other associated injuries.
With both the bicyclist and his own partner fatally injured, the driver of the van did nothing to lend aid to either of these individuals. Rather, he fled the scene. Law enforcement officials were quick to apprehend the driver, who was identified as 22-year-old Rodrigo Cruz. Cruz faces multiple criminal charges, including those related to homicide as well as failure to stop at the scene of an accident. Perhaps not surprisingly, Cruz was on parole at the time of these deaths and is also facing a charge of violating the conditions of his parole.
A full investigation of what occurred is underway, although the basic elements of the incident were immediately known. A question is outstanding as to whether the driver and the deceased passenger were under the influence of some type of mind-altering substance at the time they took to the streets to engage in reckless, and ultimately fatal, conduct.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Lieutenant Raymond Spencer succinctly summed up the events of the day when providing information to the media about the deaths. “Senseless is an understatement. You have a woman who was out riding her bicycle and they pull up next to her and strike her, causing her to die. It’s an absolute senseless act. There’s no reason behind this that I can tell you why it occurred other than complete stupidity.”
Certainly, the fatal incident that happened in Las Vegas that ended up in the death of a bicyclist and perpetrator is not a commonplace automobile “accident.” Indeed, applying the word “accident” to this situation is not appropriate. With that said, this bizarre and deadly incident underscores the fact that each and every day in the United States there are automobile accidents, including bicycle accidents, with fact patterns that stretch the imagination. The stone-cold fact is that protecting your legal interests after a bicycle accident involving a motor vehicle can be a highly complicated, extremely challenging matter. The situation can become even more complex if a bicycle accident involves the death of a member of your family.
A Doan Law Firm bicycle accident lawyer has the experience, skillset, and commitment necessary to provide you with the representation you must have in your case. You can schedule a no-cost, no-obligation initial consultation and case evaluation with a Doan Law Firm bicycle accident lawyer any time by calling (800) 349-0000.
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