Crash brings prison time

A man who killed a 4-year-old girl and injured two other people in a hit-and-run crash was sentenced Wednesday to five to 10 years behind bars.

At an emotional hearing in District Court, Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez sentenced Christian Cortes, 19, for reckless driving and fleeing the scene of an accident.

The May 25 crash in North Las Vegas killed Zi-Yana Elaine Castillo and injured her 8-year-old brother, Zion, and their mother, Yolanda Shirley.

Cortes, who is in the country illegally, apologized for the accident and asked Shirley for forgiveness.

"I know anything I say is not going to help," he said through a translator. "I hope they can forgive me one day."

Cortes' family burst into tears when Gonzalez delivered the sentence. He probably will be deported when he completes his sentence.

Robert Lucherini, Cortes' attorney, said his client could have fled the country and returned to Mexico but turned himself in to North Las Vegas police within hours of the accident.

Lucherini said Cortes fled the scene because he was afraid witnesses would attack him to dispense mob justice.

He said Cortes, a construction worker, was a good person who "made a terrible, terrible mistake."

Shirley and her relatives wore pins in court bearing a photo of Zi-Yana. Justo Castillo, Zi-Yana's father, wore a shirt with an illustration of Zi-Yana and the words "In memory of my baby girl."

During a tearful statement to the judge, Shirley said that she is heartsick over the death of her daughter and that she won't ever again hear the words the girl enjoyed saying: "I love you, mommy."

Cortes struck Zi-Yana, Zion and Shirley on Civic Center Drive near Las Vegas Boulevard. Shirley was walking to get immunizations for Zi-Yana, which the girl needed to attend school.

According to a police report, Cortes was driving about 60 mph in a 35-mph zone when he lost control of the car and hit the victims. Lucherini disputed the speed, estimating that Cortes was traveling slower.

After the accident, Cortes went over to Zi-Yana but then fled because he was scared, the report said.

During an interview with North Las Vegas police, Cortes told police he did not have a driver's license.

Shirley was not satisfied with Cortes' sentence. If it were up to her, he would spend 20 years behind bars. "He put a hole in our hearts," she said.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-1039.