Driver killed when he slammed into pickup in Las Vegas identified

The Clark County coroner’s office has identified a speeding driver who Las Vegas police say caused a fiery car crash last week in the eastern valley, killing himself and his passenger.

The driver was 26-year-old Joel Alvanez Mejia, according to the coroner’s office, which identified his passenger earlier this week as Leyvi Guadalupe Pacheco Soto, 25.

The Las Vegas residents died of multiple blunt force injuries, and the coroner’s office ruled their deaths an accident.

Las Vegas police have said that the crash took place about 3 a.m. on Dec. 13, in the northbound lanes of Pecos Road near East Lake Mead Boulevard. Mejia, driving a recently purchased Dodge Charger, was speeding north on Pecos when he rear-ended a pickup truck.

The impact sent the Dodge into a light pole, where it came to a rest and burst into flames, police said.

The driver of the pickup was not injured.

Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.