Woman charged in fatal Las Vegas Strip crash found competent to stand trial

Lakeisha Nicole Holloway, accused of intentionally plowing a car into pedestrians on a Las Vegas Strip sidewalk, speaks during her competency hearing in Regional Justice Center on Friday, March 11, 2016. Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @jlscheid

A woman accused of driving her car onto a busy Strip sidewalk, killing one person and injuring dozens of others, was deemed competent Friday to stand trial.

Lakeisha Holloway, 25, who spent several months at Lake’s Crossing Center, Nevada’s only maximum-security psychiatric facility, is due back in Las Vegas Justice Court next week, according to Deputy Pubilc Defender Scott Coffee.

Holloway faces 71 counts, including murder with use of a deadly weapon, attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon, battery with use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm and child abuse, neglect or bodily harm.

Authorities said a toxicology examination of Holloway, 24, showed she was above the legal limit for marijuana at the time of the Dec. 20, 2015, crash.

Holloway told police she was not on drugs or alcohol, according to an arrest report. Blood samples were taken from Holloway, and police initially said that although she did not demonstrate signs of being under the influence of alcohol when she was arrested, she may have been on stimulants.

Jessica Valenzuela, 32, of Arizona, died after being trapped under Holloway’s Oldsmobile for at least 200 yards as pedestrians ran alongside, banging on the car and trying to get her to stop.

Thirty-five people were injured in the crash.

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.