1 dead after crashing car into wall in downtown Las Vegas
One man died after crashing a car into a concrete wall in downtown Las Vegas early Sunday morning, Nevada Highway Patrol said.
Around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Metropolitan Police Department officers stopped a man driving a Chevy pickup truck before he sped away, said Highway Patrol spokesperson Travis Smaka. Metro officers did not pursue the car, and the man then crashed into a concrete wall near Eastern Avenue and Valley Street, just north of Eastern Avenue and Fremont Street.
The car burst into flames, Smaka said. The driver was transported to University Medical Center where he later died.
Officials believe that speed was a factor in the crash.
#TrafficAlert Fatal Crash Eastern/Valley northbound. Single Vehicle catching fire after striking a concrete wall. 1 deceased. Eastern Ave is closed in both directions from Fremont St. to Sunrise Ave. Avoid the area, expect delays as Troopers investigate. #drivesafenv #nhpsocomm pic.twitter.com/hHuPbzSUSw
— NHP Southern Command (@NHPSouthernComm) August 12, 2018
“We do not know yet if impairment was a factor,” Smaka said.
Eastern Avenue reopened around 9:40 a.m. after being closed between Fremont Street and Sunrise Avenue.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.