Man sentenced to prison for hit-and-run that killed Las Vegas police Explorer
A 29-year-old man was sentenced to six to 15 years in prison for an August hit-and-run crash that killed an 18-year-old captain in the Metropolitan Police Department Explorers program.
Jvon Williams in September pleaded guilty to one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident.
Judge Stefany Miley gave Williams the maximum sentence at a hearing Monday.
Las Vegas police said Angel Velasquez was riding his 2013 Honda east on Sahara Avenue near South Van Patten Street about 7 p.m. Aug. 1 when a 2013 Volkswagen turning west onto Sahara caused the motorcyclist to go into a slide and hit the Volkswagen.
Police said Williams, who was driving the Volkswagen, left the scene.
Velasquez was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
After the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Bruce Nelson said, “Hopefully this will get the message out that when you are in a collision you need to stay there and take responsibility for what happened.”
Defense lawyer Jess Marchese said the crash was a tragedy for the Velasquez family and for Williams, an Army combat veteran, who will spend years in prison.
Marchese said his client suffered post traumatic stress disorder as a result of his combat experience.
Following the crash, police located Williams at his home and said he failed multiple field sobriety tests, but there wasn’t enough evidence to support that charge, court documents show.
Velasquez became an Explorer at 16 and hoped to eventually become a police officer.
He became a captain after three months in the program. He was studying criminal justice at the College of Southern Nevada, helped out at many police events and went on two ride-alongs each week to prepare for his future, police said.
Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.
