UPDATE: The victim has been identified as 55-year-old Oscar Rios-Rugama. His cause of death was blunt force trauma.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas man was driving recklessly and impaired when he hit several utility poles and then fatally struck a pedestrian Friday in the Spring Valley area, Metro said.
Jovany Pouncil, 27, is facing charges of DUI resulting in death and reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm after a crash on South Decatur Boulevard near West Pioneer Avenue shortly after 7 p.m.
The identity of the pedestrian, a man, 55, is pending family notification, police said.
Pouncil was driving a 2012 Volkswagen CC north on South Decatur Boulevard, north of West Pioneer Avenue, when “for an unknown reason” the vehicle veered right in a lane change or turning movement and lost control, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a Saturday news release.
The vehicle went onto the sidewalk, struck several utility poles and then the pedestrian before returning to the roadway and coming to rest, police said.
Debris from the collision also struck several vehicles in a dealership lot; police listed seven damaged cars unoccupied and in the lot in their news release.
The pedestrian was taken to University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Pouncil and a passenger, a man, 23, also from Las Vegas, also were taken to University Medical Center with minor injuries. Pouncil’s arrest was processed in absentia, police said.
This crash is being investigated by Metro’s collision investigation section. Metro said the pedestrian’s death is the 47th traffic-related fatality in its jurisdiction for 2023.
