Accused DUI driver in fatal Christmas Eve crash waives hearing
A Las Vegas man waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday in a DUI case that stems from a deadly Christmas Eve crash.
Ray Diokno, 26, faces five counts each of DUI and reckless driving in the two-vehicle crash that killed two women and sent five others to the hospital.
An arraignment for Diokno, who is being held at the Clark County Detention Center, is scheduled for Thursday in District Court.
According to an arrest report, Diokno told Las Vegas police he had consumed five shots of whiskey about three hours before the crash.
Witnesses told police that at about 11:45 p.m. on Dec. 24, they saw two cars, including the vehicle driven by Diokno, speeding down Cheyenne Avenue near Hualapai Way at about 100 mph.
Police said the other car made it across the Hualapai intersection, but the vehicle driven by Diokno ran a red light and hit an SUV that was turning onto Cheyenne.
The SUV rolled over and killed Etherine Noble, 81, and her daughter, Essie Mae Hale, 63. Another woman and a 1-year-old child in the SUV were injured.
Diokno and his two passengers, Jermayne Jefferson and Matthew Modelo, suffered serious injuries, police said.
Police said Diokno's blood alcohol content was 0.13 percent three hours after the crash and 0.10 percent four hours after the crash. The legal limit in Nevada is 0.08 percent.
Contact Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710. Find her on Twitter: @CarriGeer
