DUI suspect in fatal Las Vegas crash consumed 5 to 6 beers, police say

A DUI suspect accused of fatally injuring a motorcyclist in southeast Las Vegas late Friday told investigators that he had drunk five to six beers hours prior to the crash, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

Bryan Vargas-Caicedo, who was driving an unregistered car, did not have a driver’s license, police wrote in an arrest report released Tuesday.

Vargas-Caicedo, 36, was charged with one count of DUI resulting in death, according to court records. He pleaded not guilty, and has since posted a $100,000 bail and was released under high-level electronic monitoring.

The Clark County coroner’s office identified the victim as Wesley Larsen, 37, of Las Vegas. He died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

The crash occurred about 11:30 p.m. at East Tropicana Avenue and South McLeod Drive.

Larsen was riding east on a “steady green signal” when Vargas-Caicedo turned his Honda Accord in front of the Harley-Davidson, police said.

Police said Vargas-Caicedo had driven through a yellow turn signal, not yielding to Larsen.

A police officer reported detecting “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on (Vargas-Caicedo’s) breath,” according to the arrest report.

Vargas-Caicedo said he’d consumed beer at a bar between 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., police said.

He said he was driving home from a friend’s house, telling police that he hadn’t seen the motorcycle before turning into its path, according to the report.

“Mr. Vargas-Caicedo concluded by saying it was a mistake and that he was very sorry for causing the collision,” police said.

Police said he failed a field sobriety test. Results of a blood alcohol test were not included in the arresting documents.

Bail conditions order Vargas-Caicedo to stay out of trouble, not drive and not consume drugs or alcohol, records show.

A preliminary hearing was slated for Sept. 23.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.