LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The man accused of being impaired and causing a series of crashes along Flamingo Road Friday evening that involved 10 vehicles and left one bicyclist dead and another critically injured is facing numerous charges after he was released from the hospital, according to county records.
Marco Benitez, 27, is facing 16 counts for the crashes that occurred on Friday around 5:37 p.m. and is due to appear in Las Vegas Justice Court Tuesday at 8 a.m.
- Reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm (2 counts)
- DUI resulting in death (2 counts)
- Duty to stop at the scene of an accident involving death or personal injury (3 counts)
- Duty to stop at an accident with vehicle or property damage (3 counts)
- Failure to give information to party at vehicle accident (3 counts)
- Failure to render aid at vehicle accident (3 counts)
According to Las Vegas Metro police, Benitez was traveling eastbound in a Ford Explorer Sport Trac truck on Flamingo when he struck the rear of a Kia SUV near Claymont Street, injuring the 72-year-old driver.
Police said Benitez fled from the scene of that crash and struck two bicyclists traveling in the far right bus lane and sped away. Karina Lopez, 37, was killed and the other bicyclist, a 36-year-old, was left with critical injuries.
Benitez ended up crashing into nine other vehicles with 16 people inside near the intersection of Flamingo and Maryland Parkway, where he stopped. Police said one person suffered moderate injuries and four people suffered minor injuries. Benitez had moderate injuries and was transported to the hospital.
The bicyclist’s death was the 127th traffic-related death in Metro’s jurisdiction since the beginning of the year.
