NLV woman, two sons die in SUV crash

Iris Acuna, 38, was driving a 1991 Ford Explorer south on Interstate 15 near Mona, Utah, when tread separated from a tire and she lost control of the vehicle, Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Cameron Roden said.

Acuna, who was about 20 weeks pregnant, was traveling with six passengers ranging in age from 2 to 19 years old. When the Explorer began to roll, several people were thrown from the vehicle, Roden said.

Acuna and her sons, 17-year-old Arnold M. Perez and 11-year-old Edwin Anthony Martinez, were pronounced dead at the scene. Acuna’s fetus died later, Roden said.

The other passengers, a 2-year-old, 4-year-old, 14-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man, were injured in the crash and taken to local hospitals. Three other people who were in the vehicle were in fair condition Monday and a fourth was in serious condition.

Roden did not identify the injured. Only one person in the Explorer was wearing a seat belt, Roden said.

Outside Acuna’s modest apartment on Statz Street, near Lake Mead Boulevard and Civic Center Drive, neighbors were stunned at the loss. They said Acuna’s husband left for Utah on Monday night immediately after hearing the news.

“She was a nice woman. She was always working for her family,” 37-year-old David Alvarez said. “It’s hard to hear. We just saw her two days ago.”

Yadira Godoy, 34, said the family had been living at the home for six to eight months. They didn’t know Acuna was pregnant.

Godoy wept silently for a few moments.

“In the morning they (school officials) came to look for Edwin for school,” she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.Contact reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279. Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.