Las Vegas driver who died in crash while fleeing traffic stop ID’d
August 14, 2018 - 10:48 am
The Clark County coroner’s office has identified a man who died after crashing a car into a wall, causing it to burst into flames, in downtown Las Vegas early Sunday morning.
Las Vegas police stopped Enrique Guzman Ortiz, 21, around 3:30 a.m. Sunday when he was driving a Chevy pickup truck, said Nevada Highway Patrol spokesperson Travis Smaka on Sunday. Ortiz sped away from Metro officers, who did not chase after him.
Ortiz then crashed into a concrete wall and his car burst into flames near Eastern Avenue and Valley Street, just north of Fremont Street, Smaka said.
#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
Ortiz, a Las Vegas resident, was transported to University Medical Center where he later died. His cause and manner of death was still pending from the coroner’s office Tuesday morning.
Officials believe speed was a factor in the crash, Smaka said.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.