Las Vegas man admits road rage death
The suspect in a fatal 2008 road rage incident pleaded guilty Thursday to involuntary manslaughter in District Court.
Kevin Graves, 24, will be sentenced Oct. 8 for the slaying of 26-year-old Edgar Lozano-Barba.
A grand jury had earlier heard two different accounts of what happened on June 23, 2008, when the two men were driving in separate vehicles on Homestretch Drive, near Charleston Boulevard and Hualapai Way.
Lozano-Barba's wife, Maria Lopez De Gonzalez, testified that they were driving in their red Honda Accord when a red Oldsmobile Alero pulled in front of them and caused them to stop short.
A man and a woman stepped out of the Oldsmobile screaming and cursing at Lopez De Gonzalez and her husband. The man, later identified as Graves, then began punching Lozano-Barba in the head while he sat in the Honda with his seat belt on, according to grand jury testimony.
During the altercation, the Oldsmobile wasn't in park and rolled into the Accord, Lopez De Gonzalez said.
Police told the grand jury that during an interview with Graves, he said the Honda had scraped his Oldsmobile and drove away. Graves followed the Honda to confront the driver. Graves told police that when he got out of the vehicle, the driver of the Honda accelerated and drove into his Oldsmobile. His infant daughter was in the back seat. That's when Graves said he hit the driver several times, police said.
Immediately after the incident, Graves was cited for misdemeanor battery.
Lozano-Barba, who had lupus, developed a subdural hematoma, an injury that causes blood to gather within the protective coverings of the brain. His condition worsened, and he died a day after being removed from life support.
Soon after Lozano-Barba died, charges against Graves were upgraded to include murder, burglary and malicious destruction of private property.
Defense attorney Dayvid Figler said Thursday that Graves has accepted responsibility for what happened.
Involuntary manslaughter carries a one- to four-year sentence. Graves has already spent 14 months in jail. He's being held on $200,000 bail.
Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904.
