LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A father mourning his 13-year-old son who was hit by a car said the City of Henderson and school district leaders need to take action over speeding near a Henderson middle school.
Jason Patchett’s son, Rex, died in March as he was leaving Mannion Middle school near the intersection of Skyline Drive and Paradise Hills.
Rex was hit by a car right in front of the school.
“It’s traumatizing, it’s hard,” Patchett said. “It’s definitely very difficult for me, for my wife, for my children. We just live up the street, so we have to drive past this every day, multiple times a day.”
The last photo of Rex was taken an hour before he was killed. He had been at a friend’s house and was riding his scooter back home on the sidewalk.
“For any other family to experience what we had to experience that night is something I can’t allow to happen again,” Patchett said.
The City of Henderson told 8 News Now that a traffic study has been conducted for the neighborhood since the incident.
Public Works is in the process of adding a rapid flashing pedestrian beacon near Skyline and Paradise Hills to enhance safety.
Patchett said he was not sure that it was enough.
“I don’t know what the solution is, but something needs to get done because it continues to happen,” he said. “My son was killed as a result of someone breaking the law.”
Jose Marmolejo, 21, was arrested in connection with the crash. Police said he lost control of his car while speeding before driving onto the sidewalk and hitting Rex. They do not believe he was impaired.
Marmolejo pleaded guilty to reckless driving in October and is expected to be sentenced on Jan. 25.
“The best I can do for justice for my son is to stand up for him and stand up every other child that lives in this neighborhood because this is about child safety,” Patchett said.
He added that it would close just one chapter in the family’s healing journey.
