1 dead in west Las Vegas Valley after vehicle strikes person on scooter

An 80-year-old woman on a motor scooter was killed late Tuesday after being struck by a vehicle in the west Las Vegas Valley.

The crash happened about 9:50 p.m. on West Charleston Boulevard at the South Cimarron Road intersection, Metropolitan Police Department Lt. David Gordon said.

A 26-year-old woman was driving a 2004 Chrysler east on West Charleston at Cimarron when police said she hit a woman on the scooter. Sgt. Robert Stauffer said the 80-year-old woman was crossing the street against the crosswalk signal. The driver had a green light, he said.

The woman was taken to University Medical Center’s trauma unit but died.

Stauffer said crashes in the valley involving wheelchairs or motor scooters are relatively common.

“More than you would imagine,” he said.

People using scooters often sit lower to the ground, he said, and may be harder to see as a result.

“So it’s a good thing to look out for,” Stauffer said. “But in this particular incidence, you wouldn’t expect somebody to be crossing against the signal.”

Debris was strewn across the eastbound West Charleston lanes near a Cimarron crosswalk at the intersection. Stauffer said the woman appeared to have been carrying groceries. He didn’t see anything bright or reflective on the scooter and was unsure if she was wearing bright clothing.

The driver stayed on scene. Stauffer said the driver braked and tried to avoid hitting the 80-year-old woman. She was cooperative, he said, and impairment wasn’t a factor. He didn’t expect the driver to face charges.

The intersection of Charleston and Cimarron was temporarily closed but has since reopened.

Contact Rachel Crosby at rcrosby@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290. Follow @rachelacrosby on Twitter. Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.