Candles shine for grandmother, girl killed in bus stop crash
About 100 Las Vegans gathered at a candlelight vigil Thursday night, rallying around the grieving family of a grandmother and a little girl who were killed in a hit-and-run incident while waiting at a bus stop earlier this week.
Dozens of candles lit up the sidewalk next to piles of stuffed rabbits and teddy bears. Attendees were asked to bring roses — red for Garcia and pink for Alyssa. But there were also yellow and white roses, and big orange carnations. Flowers were piled more than a foot high.
About a dozen Las Vegas police officers and firefighters attended. They don’t always go to vigils, but this event was important to the community, they said. Officers had to block off the far right lanes of Sahara Avenue at Maryland Parkway as mourners spilled into the street.
The crash happened Monday about 2:30 p.m. at the bus stop on eastbound Sahara, on the southeast corner of the intersection with Maryland Parkway. Maria Garcia, 58, and Alyssa Aisa, 6, both of Las Vegas, died from their injuries at University Medical Center. An 18-month-old girl also was injured in the crash but was released from the hospital, police said.
Estela Aisa, who lost her mom and her daughter, quietly read a prepared statement at the vigil as she fought back tears.
“Our family has been overwhelmed with grief during the past few days. We are devastated, but trying to face this new reality with the help, love, and support of many people. We would like to thank all the people at the scene of the accident who assisted in any way. We are especially grateful to the individuals who stayed with our mom, Maria, and our angel, Alyssa, as well as those who pursued the driver when he fled.”
The family also hopes that the deaths of their loved ones will unite the community in making a difference. “We also ask help to raise awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence. One split second can change many lives. How many more lives need to be taken before changes are made?”
The man police said drove off after the crash, Leonardo Ruesga, 20, appeared in court Thursday. The Las Vegas man faces charges including two counts of DUI and one count of leaving the scene of a crash, according to Clark County Detention Center booking logs. Prosecutors said Tuesday that Ruesga admitted to smoking marijuana before the crash.
The family has set up accounts to accept community donations. Questions can be addressed by Barry Prickett who can be reached at barry@olivemediaagency.com or 916-642-9689.
Contact Wesley Juhl at wjuhl@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0391. Find him on Twitter: @WesJuhl
