LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The man accused of causing a deadly crash early Thursday morning was showing signs of impairment at the scene, Las Vegas Metro police said.
Prentiss Bates, 50, allegedly hit a raised median, crossed onto the wrong side of the road, and crashed into the front of a parked car, killing its occupant, police said.
Just before 2:20 a.m. a Chevrolet Avalanche was parked in the far right lane in a coned-off construction zone facing southbound on Rancho Drive and north of Red Coach Avenue. A Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by Bates, was driving northbound on Rancho south of Red Coach.
Bates hit the median and entered the lanes on the other side of the road at a “high rate of speed,” before slamming into the front of the victim’s Chevrolet, “causing extensive damage to both vehicles,” police said.
The victim was taken to University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead there.
Bates was also taken to UMC for claimed injuries, police said. Once he was released by hospital staff, he was arrested on DUI-related charges.
The victim’s death is the 105th traffic-related fatality in the LVMPD’s jurisdiction this year. The crash is still under investigation.
No other details were released.
