Man pleads guilty in DUI crash that killed 2 teens in March
A 23-year-old man pleaded guilty Monday in a drunk-driving crash that left two teenagers dead.
Seong Mo Lee faces up to 40 years in prison on two counts of felony DUI resulting in death.
Prosecutors said the March 2015 crash occurred while Lee was driving drunk for the second time in under a year.
Kamesha J’Nyah Gilmore, 17, and Gabriell Rene Thomas, 18, both of Las Vegas, died after Lee’s Mercedes Benz E350 slammed into their 2014 Nissan Versa at the intersection of Boulder Highway and Russell Road.
Defense lawyer Kathleen Bliss said she would challenge the length of Lee’s sentence at a hearing in April.
“It’s a tragedy for everyone involved,” she said. “He’s accepted responsibility for his conduct.”
In July 2014, Lee was arrested by Nevada Highway Patrol on charges of DUI, drinking while driving, unlawful open container in a vehicle, unlawful use of a cellphone while driving and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to an arrest report.
In the fatal 2015 crash, prosecutor Brian Rutledge said, Lee was driving south on Boulder Highway around 1:30 a.m. March 5 at more than 115 mph while the car the teens were in was making a U-turn.
Traveling at 117 mph at the time of impact, the Mercedes hit the right side of the Versa, which rolled onto its roof, police said.
Rutledge said Lee’s blood alcohol level was 0.169, more than twice the legal limit.
Lee admitted to police that he stopped at two bars hours before the collision, and said he drank at least six beers.
“Rutledge did an excellent job in achieving justice,” said Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson. “He deserves credit in getting the accused to accept responsibility and retaining the right to ask the court for a substantial prison sentence.”
Contact reporter David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find him on Twitter: @randompoker
