Driver didn’t brake in crosswalk crash, police report shows

A 78-year-old driver who struck three girls in a crosswalk last week did not brake, carried one child almost 150 feet and had a clearer view of the intersection than initially reported, according to North Las Vegas police.

Citing a preliminary police traffic reconstruction report, Sgt. Tim Bedwell shed new details Wednesday on the crash, in which one girl died and two others were hospitalized with severe injuries.

Although there was speculation that a car in the other lane may have obscured the driver's view, Bedwell said the other motorist had stopped at least a car-length back from the intersection to wait for the girls to cross.

The two 13-year-olds trailing the younger girls saw the second car approaching and had time to wave for the woman to stop, Bedwell said.

"There was a great opening there for her (the driver) to see the girls," he said.

Bedwell said the report indicated the woman was driving a 2007 Honda Accord south on Camino Eldorado approaching the crosswalk at Bent Arrow Drive about 6:45 p.m. Friday.

The car was traveling near the posted speed limit of 35 mph, but the driver never touched her brakes, according to the report.

The severity of injuries could have been greatly reduced if she had, Bedwell said.

"There could have been a huge difference in the outcome," he said. "I don't think her speed will be found to be excessive, except that she should have been going zero."

Amelia "Mia" Decker, 6, died Monday after three days in a coma at University Medical Center.

Alyssa Mowery, 6, remained in critical condition Wednesday with severe brain injuries. She also was battling pneumonia, the family posted on a Facebook group dedicated to the girls.

Her 5-year-old sister, Rain Mowery, who suffered a skull fracture, was released from UMC on Sunday. Neither of the 13-year-old girls was injured.

Two of the girls were struck by the front-left side of the Honda and flew about 80 feet, Bedwell said.

The third girl rolled onto the car's hood and struck the windshield. The woman drove 143 feet before slowing enough for the girl to fall off, he said.

The woman, a Henderson resident who was visiting her daughter in North Las Vegas, then drove around the girl's body and traveled 50 feet up the road before stopping her car, Bedwell said.

He said he did not know which of the girls had been carried by the car. None of the girls fell under the wheels.

"There were two impacts, the first being from the vehicle and the second from the roadway," he said.

The woman did not get out of her car until police arrived. Although she called her daughter, it was unclear whether the woman called 911, Bedwell said.

Police have not released the driver's identity, citing department policy to withhold names unless someone is arrested or charged.

Bedwell said police are awaiting the woman's toxicology results before determining whether any charges will be filed, which could take several weeks. The full investigation will not be completed for at least a month, he said.

Nevada law requires drivers to stop or slow down if another vehicle is stopped in a travel lane until they can determine whether that vehicle has halted for a pedestrian. The law also states that a crosswalk exists at any intersection, whether or not it is marked.

The accident has raised debate in the community about the safety of the crosswalk, which did not have flashing lights and had faded lines marking it.

Michele Terry, Mia's mother, told the Review-Journal on Monday that she used the crosswalk every day while walking her daughter to school.

Several times, they were forced to dodge cars that refused to stop, she said.

"Now that a child has died, maybe someone will finally do something about it."

Contact reporter Mike Blasky at mblasky@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283.