ST. GEORGE — Four St. George residents were involved in a three-vehicle collision in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sunday night, leaving one man dead, another man arrested and two women in serious and critical condition.
Cesar Mendoza, 19, of St. George, was taken into custody for DUI resulting in death after allegedly running a red light at the intersection of Jones Boulevard and Russell Road in Las Vegas and striking two other vehicles, according to a statement issued by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Mendoza was driving a 2000 Ford Mustang east on Russell Road with three passengers – a 21-year-old man and two women, ages 18 and 19, all of St. George – when he blew through a red light at the intersection of Jones Boulevard and Russell Road at approximately 10:42 p.m., police said.
A 2013 Kia Sorento – driven by a 34-year-old Las Vegas man – was northbound on Jones Boulevard and crossing Russell Road on a green light when it crashed into the right side of the Mustang, according to the police investigation.
The impact sent the Kia onto the sidewalk and into a traffic control box while the Mustang reportedly spun across the intersection and struck the left side of a 2006 Volkwagen Jetta driven by a 38-year-old Las Vegas woman who was stopped at the red light, Las Vegas police said.
“The right front and right rear passengers of the Ford Mustang were ejected from the vehicle onto Russell Road, east of the intersection,” according to the police statement. “… The Ford Mustang then continued onto the north sidewalk of Russell Road, east of Jones Boulevard where it came to rest.”
The four occupants of the Mustang were transported by ambulance to University Medical Center’s Trauma Center in Las Vegas where the 21-year-old male passenger was pronounced dead by medical personnel, police said.
The 18-year-old woman was listed in critical condition Sunday and the 19-year-old woman was listed in serious condition. The two women have since posted on their Facebook pages that they are healing and OK.
The drivers of the other two vehicles suffered moderate and minor injuries but declined to be taken to the hospital, police said.
Mendoza, who was treated for minor injuries at the hospital, exhibited signs of impairment and was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on a count of DUI resulting in death, police said.
The 21-year-old fatal victim has since been identified as Alejandro Jaracuaro, of St. George.
A GoFundMe account was established by Jaracuaro’s friends Monday to help raise funds for his family. The GoFundMe account had garnered $1,525 in donations by Friday afternoon.
Jaracuaro was a son, brother and loving friend, according to the GoFundMe page, which also describes Jaracuaro as a fun loving young man who cared only for the well-being of others.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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