LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A suspected DUI driver who told police he took a narcotic drug is accused of causing a deadly crash while driving a stolen truck recklessly through the streets of Las Vegas, police documents said.
Alexis Pineda, 25, who has a history of arrests, is facing numerous charges for a crash that killed 63-year-old Michael Hope of New Bedford, Massachusetts, and left a passenger in the alleged stolen Chevrolet pickup truck seriously injured, according to the arrest report.
The report stated Hope was a passenger in a Dodge Challenger struck by the truck when Pineda ran a stop sign, at a high rate of speed. The crash occurred on Laredo Street at Torrey Pines, near Sahara Avenue on the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 24. Hope was one of four people killed on Sunday in traffic-related crashes.
The intensity of the crash was so severe that Hope had to be extricated from the vehicle, police said. He later died at the hospital.
Following the crash, Pineda and two of his three passengers fled on foot from the pickup but left behind one passenger who suffered a femur fracture and couldn’t walk. That passenger remains hospitalized following surgery. Police arrested Pineda and the two passengers shortly after the crash.
Police said Pineda was initially uncooperative during the field sobriety tests but did admit to officers he had taken a narcotic but wouldn’t specify what drug. Blood samples were taken from Pineda for a toxicological examination, the report stated.
According to documents, less than 30 minutes before the crash, police were alerted by the daughter of the man who owned the truck to the truck’s whereabouts. She sent police a video of the truck speeding and told officers she was able to locate it because it contained an Apple Air Tag.
Police broadcast details of the stolen truck and a Metro unit attempted a traffic stop, but discontinued when the truck did not stop. A police air unit took over and reported the pickup truck was speeding up to 100 mph, running red lights, and driving on the wrong side of the road moments before the crash.
This is not Pineda’s first brush with the law. Court documents show he has two other active felony cases in the court system. The alleged crimes include attempted grand larceny, stolen vehicle charges, and drug offenses.
Pineda is facing eight charges including DUI, DUI resulting in death/substantial bodily harm, reckless driving resulting in death, reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm, possession of a stolen vehicle, disobeying a police officer, and two hit-and-run charges. He remains in custody at the Clark County Detention Center.
