Mom, daughter killed, 5 hospitalized in Christmas Eve crash

The Clark County coroner’s office has identified the two women killed in a crash late Wednesday night as a Las Vegas mother and daughter.

The mother, 81-year-old Etherine Noble and daughter, Essie Mae Hale, 63, were killed in a two-vehicle crash just after 11:30 p.m, according to the coroner’s office.

Four other adults were hospitalized with serious injuries and one infant had minor injuries, according to Las Vegas police.

Police responded at 11:36 p.m. to a crash at Cheyenne Avenue and North Hualapai Way where the driver of a 2002 BMW 300i ran a red light and crashed into a 2011 GMC Terrain, causing the GMC to roll, police said in a release Thursday.

Evidence at the scene and witness statements indicated that the BMW was speeding westbound on Cheyenne as the GMC was turning left on eastbound Cheyenne, from southbound Hualapai, the release said.

Witnesses told police that the BMW drove through a solid red light and struck the GMC.

Noble and Hale who were in the GMC were pronounced dead at the scene, the release said.

Georgia woman Cotina Porter-Smith, the 42-year-old driver of the GMC, was taken to University Medical Center with serious injuries.

The driver of the BMW, 25-year-old Ray Diokno, as well as two passengers, 25-year-old Jermayne Jefferson and 26-year-old Matthew Modelo, were also taken to UMC with serious injuries. All three men are Las Vegas residents.

The 1-year-old Georgia boy who was in the GMC was also taken to UMC with minor injuries.

The driver of the BMW was suspected of drinking and driving, the release said.

These were the 90th and 91st traffic-related fatalities in Metro’s jurisdiction this year.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Review-Journal reporter Kimberly De La Cruz contributed to this report.

Contact Kimber Laux at klaux@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find her on Twitter: @lauxkimber.