Family devastated by deaths of three young women in North Las Vegas crash

A family already missing a son who died in a shooting this year was dealt another tragic blow Saturday when three women were killed in a North Las Vegas crash.

“Everybody’s in disbelief. Everybody is crying. It’s like a bad dream,” said Camille Taylor, whose nieces Danyell Young, 23, and Yaneisha Ficklin, 22, died in the crash along with Qua’Tajah Macklin, 24.

Young and Ficklin, who was six months pregnant, left behind five daughters all together, Taylor said.

“At the hospital, they were working on Yannie, but they brought in doctors to try to save the baby,” she said, pausing for a moment. “They didn’t save the baby.”

Ficklin’s mother, Gwen Davis-Wilson, was also Young’s godmother and had raised her since she was 11, Taylor said.

Their deaths have devastated a family already in mourning over the loss of Davis’ son, 24-year-old Ja’varrius Brown, who was shot and killed April 24 in a North Las Vegas home.

“It was just unbelievable,” Taylor said. “We just buried her son and now she lost her daughters and a granddaughter.”

Just before 10 a.m., Young, Ficklin, Macklin and two other women were in a Hyundai sedan traveling north on Allen Lane in North Las Vegas when a man speeding east in a Cadillac sedan on Colton Avenue ran through a stop sign and crashed into their vehicle, North Las Vegas police spokeswoman Ann Cavaricci said.

The Hyundai then crashed into a parked pickup truck and the front yard of a house on Colton.

Two of the women were ejected and later died at University Medical Center. The other woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators believe impairment and high speed both contributed to the collision, Cavaricci said Saturday.

“They were smart, lovable people, and they were so giving and generous,” said Karin Rowe, cousin to Young and Ficklin. “It’s hard. (Their family) is sad, but they’re all staying together right now.”

Two other women, also Davis-Wilson’s daughters, were taken to the hospital in serious condition after the crash. One was released and is mourning with her family.

The Cadillac’s driver also was hospitalized and has not been identified. It is unclear whether he will face charges, but if he doesn’t, the family plans to take legal action, Taylor said.

“He was speeding and he left five children without their mothers,” Taylor said. “He was speeding on a residential street. He had no regard for human life.”

The family held a vigil Sunday night at the crash site near the intersection of Allen Lane and Colton Avenue. About a dozen friends and family gathered to light candles and console each other. Three large teddy bears sat next to the candles, each representing one of the women. One small teddy bear honored Ficklin’s unborn baby.

Family will hold another vigil at the site at 6 p.m. Monday.

Young and Finklin’s uncle Jesse Wilson said the family was concerned about being able to afford funeral expenses for the women, but said the family plans to set up a GoFundMe or similar campaign to help raise the money.

CORRECTION: The identities of two women who died in a North Las Vegas crash Saturday were reported incorrectly in an earlier version of this story. According to the family, the women were Yaneisha Ficklin, 22, and Qua’Tajah Macklin, 21. The third woman who died in the crash, Danyell Young, was incorrectly identified as Gwen Davis’ daughter. Young is the daughter of Maria Rodriguez; Davis is her godmother.

Rachel Hershkovitz contributed to this report. Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find @MaxMichor on Twitter.