One killed as pickup plunges onto I-15

The driver of a Ford pickup was killed and the passenger injured when the vehicle fell from the Desert Inn Road overpass onto Interstate 15 during Friday's afternoon rush hour, authorities said.

Nobody on I-15 was injured, Las Vegas police said.

The pickup, which was heading east on Desert Inn, was involved in a collision with a white Honda Accord about 3:40 p.m., said Sgt. Tracy McDonald of the department's fatal detail.

The crash caused the pickup to swerve onto the retaining wall of the overpass. Tire marks on the outside of the wall showed the pickup had straddled the wall for about 100 feet, McDonald said.

The pickup then fell 36 feet onto the freeway.

Emergency personnel pronounced the driver dead at the scene, McDonald said.

The driver of the Honda fled the scene on foot.

Investigators believe the Honda driver was speeding on Desert Inn and made an unsafe lane change, forcing the pickup over the wall, McDonald said.

The Honda driver could be charged with felony hit and run causing death and felony reckless driving causing death, among other possible charges.

The investigation into the wreck will continue.

The passenger in the pickup was taken to University Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, McDonald said.

Northbound I-15 traffic was backed up to the Las Vegas Beltway as vehicles had to merge to get around the wreck. Southbound I-15 traffic slowed as rubberneckers peered at the wreck.

Eastbound Desert Inn over I-15 was closed while police investigated the collision.