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Sep. 11, 2009
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DEADLY ROLLOVER: Police: Alcohol led to crash

18-year-old driver dies; four other teens injured

By ANTONIO PLANAS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

A single-vehicle accident in the northwest valley Wednesday night involved a rollover, five teens and, according to a Las Vegas police officer, a factor common to many accidents he has seen: alcohol.

Sgt. Oscar Chavez said all of the teenagers in the vehicle had been drinking before the crash. The 18-year-old driver, Lucio Sanchez Jr., died at University Medical Center shortly after the crash.

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    • Chavez said the scene he encountered on Tropical Parkway near Rainbow Boulevard is all too familiar.

    "Drinking and driving is an epidemic that is seen in both age groups, juvenile and adult," Chavez said Thursday.

    He added that the attitudes of some teenagers can jeopardize them on roadways.

    "Kids nowadays need to be aware they're not invincible," he said. "Consuming alcohol and driving or getting in the vehicle where a driver is intoxicated is foolish."

    Three of the four teenagers hospitalized after the crash are expected to recover, Chavez said. The fourth teenager was in critical condition Thursday.

    Police said the accident occurred about 6:30 p.m. after Sanchez turned east on Tropical Parkway from Serene Drive. Witnesses told police the driver of the 2002 Honda Civic lost control of the vehicle, which struck a block wall and rolled onto its left side at the southeast corner of Kylie Street.

    Police did not identify the teen passengers by name because they are minors. Three of the teens are 14-year-old boys, one of whom is Sanchez's brother. The fourth teen involved is a 17-year-old girl who is the sister of one of the boys.

    Chavez said that before the crash, the teenagers were seen drinking at a park across the street from the accident scene. Visible tire marks on the residential street near the crash site show Sanchez was probably speeding, Chavez said.

    Chavez said none of the teens was wearing a seat belt.

    A woman at Sanchez's home Thursday said the family didn't want to comment on the crash. She said funeral arrangements for Sanchez had not yet been made.

    Michael Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Clark County School District, said Sanchez was not enrolled in the school system this school year. Rodriguez said district records last show that Sanchez was enrolled in 2007-08 at the Academy for Individualized Study, an alternative program.

    Chavez said police didn't test the teens with Breathalyzer devices because they had to be rushed to the hospital.

    Police are still investigating how the teenagers obtained the alcohol, Chavez said.

    Sandy Heverly, executive director of STOP DUI, said Wednesday's fatal crash was another reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving.

    "It's tragic, senseless and preventable," Heverly said. "The good news is they didn't kill or injure any innocent person."

    Heverly wondered whether an adult might be partially responsible for the accident. She is curious about who provided the alcohol to the teens.

    Chavez said the teens were hanging out at a home before going to the park. Sanchez then told the group he was leaving to pick up alcohol, according to police. When Sanchez returned to the home, he and the others went to the park with the alcohol.

    Review-Journal reporter Mike Blasky contributed to this report. Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.

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    Vienna wrote on September 23, 2009 04:12 PM: Obviously, this is a sad and tragic event that could have been avoided. First of all, why is an 18 year old hanging around a group of minors, secondly he is that young with two children! obviously this young-adult had no parental guidance or control. I do give me deepest condolences to the children who will grow up without a father, hopefully they too will not be deprived of good parental guidence.


    r.i.p wrote on September 20, 2009 03:17 PM: my prayers go out to lucio and his TWO KIDS both under 3 years old. nobody wants to lose a family member that young. or at all..
    r.i.p.


    The Poets Dreamed wrote on September 17, 2009 12:53 PM: Sounds like this kid had no guidance or adult figures in his life. Tragic indeed, hopefully a lesson learned for the survivors.


    Deuce wrote on September 12, 2009 12:59 AM: To On the case...
    You are an idiot!This is a woman who has lost family members to some scumbag that thinks rules and common decency are for others.Hope to god you never have a family member involved in a drunk driving accident,probably don't care if its you.Minus one more moron like you doesn't sound half bad.Adults that provide alcohol and drugs to kids are no better than murders and child molesters,same group!

    The guy was 18 years old, hardly a kid.
    I bet if he crashed his vehicle into one of your kids you would have a differant opinion. I think you qualify to add yourself to the Idiot list.


    Wow! wrote on September 11, 2009 11:54 PM: To On the case...
    You are an idiot!This is a woman who has lost family members to some scumbag that thinks rules and common decency are for others.Hope to god you never have a family member involved in a drunk driving accident,probably don't care if its you.Minus one more moron like you doesn't sound half bad.Adults that provide alcohol and drugs to kids are no better than murders and child molesters,same group!


    On the CASE... wrote on September 11, 2009 07:26 PM: Sandy Heverly is on the case... Doing her detective work to determine if some adult provided the alcohol to these teens... "The good new is they didn't kill or injure any innocent person." Think about that for a second... This chick is an idiot.


    strad wrote on September 11, 2009 01:23 PM: Doesn't matter how many people die or get maimed as a result of driving under the influence, and it doesn't matter how many stories get published about it. Most people are dumber than posts, especially younger people, and the "it'll never happen to me" mentality will continue to take lives until the end of time. I mean, it's not like the effects of alcohol are unknown or not well documented. How much convincing does it take?


    VoR wrote on September 11, 2009 11:25 AM: Oscar, I care. Contributing to the delinquency of minors is a serious matter.

    If some 17 year old is hammered and runs their car into someone you love, you will probably care how they managed to get the booze too..


    J & J wrote on September 11, 2009 11:16 AM: BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE DRIVER WAS A LOOSER AND HAD NO PLANS TO BETTER HIMSELF. THE OTHER KIDS THAT SURVIVED SHOULD USE THIS EXPERIENCE TO TURN THEIR LIVES AROUND SINCE THERE IS AN OLD SAYING THAT "YOU ARE JUDGED BY THE FRINDS YOU KEEP!"


    AdoreInVegas wrote on September 11, 2009 10:21 AM: Alcohol abuse transcends race, gender and age. It is nondiscrimminatory.

    My condolences to the families, no one, and I mean NO ONE wants to endure the pain of losing a child under ANY circumstances.


    Oscar wrote on September 11, 2009 09:55 AM: "Drinking and driving is an epidemic that is seen in both age groups, juvenile and adult," Chavez said Thursday.

    (That is true), BUT, it's mostly Hispanic males that are the smallest ethnic group, with the largest Drinking/Drug driving, and Speeding convictions in Nevada, California, Texas, Arizona. Male Hispanics, with their foolish Machismo drinking/driving/speeding culture is killing Americans on the road, and doing hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage in crash accidents and hit-and-run vehicle accidents. Lets put the blame where it belongs. Notice all the damaged blockwall fences that have been driven through on the east-side of Vegas in ALL the residential areas? Guess who is responsible for that? It isn't redheaded, freckle-faced white kids.

    Hispanics refuse to demand accountability from their own people. Indians are the same way. They CAN'T handle the firewater. But think they can. It's part of their Machismo to demonstrate how many beers they can empty at a gathering.

    They are experts at ignoring their own social responsibilities to the community. Put the blame where it belongs.


    Oscar wrote on September 11, 2009 09:37 AM: "Who provided the booze to the innocent teens?". Who cares. Isn't it just like Minorities to look to blame someone OTHER than their criminal kids? There is no shame with these people. No personal accountability. Maybe that's why they have little credibility. Also, the driver was a school dropout. If he had killed someone OTHER than himself in the speeding crash, the parents of the school-attending passengers would have sued the cops for not catching the kids from drinking in the park in the first place. It's all the fault of the racist cops, for not doing their job.


    Connie wrote on September 11, 2009 09:23 AM: Frank Rizzo:
    You sound like a jerk. My teenage children, to the best of my knowledge, don't drink either. I am fortunate that they have not been interested. Teenage drinking is nothing new. I dare say you tried it at 18 years of age.
    I'm sorry this young man lost his life. However, I'm happy the accident didn't involve innocent people.


    Joe wrote on September 11, 2009 08:09 AM: They are 17 & 18 year olds. I drank like a fish when I was that age. Getting the alcohol is a minor inconvenience. It happens. Deal with it!


    Robert wrote on September 11, 2009 08:08 AM: "Michael Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Clark County School District, said Sanchez was not enrolled in the school system this school year. Rodriguez said district records last show that Sanchez was enrolled in 2007-08 at the Academy for Individualized Study, an alternative program."

    How does a scumbag dropout come to drive around a group of kids that actually go to school? Explain that to me?


    Citizen Caucasian wrote on September 11, 2009 07:15 AM: K --- you must be a friend.......... i guess your next, huh -- with that attitude!



    It ALWAYS goes back to the parents!


    Citizen Caucasian wrote on September 11, 2009 07:14 AM: K --- you must be a friend.......... i guess your next, huh -- with that attitude!

    It ALWAYS goes back to the parents!


    mark wrote on September 11, 2009 07:14 AM: No it isn't bad parenting to be at work./ We all need to make sacrifices in our personal lives to give half of our income to pay taxes. Perhaps if our tax rates were lowered parents could spend more time with their children. A strong argument can be made that the income tax is the source of much of the ill in our society.


    Citizen wrote on September 11, 2009 07:12 AM: Just another smart A** thug......thinks he knows all there is to know......
    You get what you deserve!!!

    Dumb A** ---

    The parents?? Where are the parents??


    K wrote on September 11, 2009 06:57 AM: It's too late to "parent" an 18 yr old. At that point a parent can only hope and pray the parenting they gave him is good enough to "stick". Don't blame the parents until you have all the facts and the way I see it this 18 yr old dead kid is only guilty of one thing: Being young and stupid.

    RIP Lucio. Hope other kids learn by your mistake.


    YOUR RIGHT! wrote on September 11, 2009 04:46 AM: THE ARTICLE STATES THE 18 YEAR OLD HAD A 14 YEAR OLD BROTHER IN THE VEHICLE. IF THE 18 YEAR OLD WAS CHARGED WITH WATCHING HIS 14 YEAR OLD BROTHER, PERHAPS THE PARENT(S) WAS AT WORK. DOES THAT MAKE IT BAD PARENTING? CURIOSITY, PEER PRESSURE, EVEN AN OLDER SIBLING CAN CAUSE A RESPONSIBLE MINOR TO MAKE A BAD DECISION. MANY REPONSIBLE MINORS ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE CRITICISM FOR NOT GOING ALONG WITH THE OTHERS. MANY ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH. REGARDLESS, THANK YOU FOR THE FORMAT TO PRESENT OUR THOUGHTS ON PARENTING. YOUR RIGHT!


    Frank wrote on September 11, 2009 04:31 AM: If drinking and driving is an "epidemic," then why are there fewer crashes and deaths now? Look it up. The only "epidemic" that applies here is that of bad parenting. Surely the officer realizes this and wasn't just using inflammatory language to further law enforcement's agenda of stopping anyone anytime for any reason, right?


    Frank Rizzo wrote on September 11, 2009 04:29 AM: I don't feel sorry for the teens one bit, they should have known better. The parents also should take some fault for not keeping a better eye on their kids actions also - yes, it's sad what happened but my child knows better and she knows if she did drink what would happen to her. I honestly think kids from the ages of 16-18 should only have a to/from license meaning they can only drive to and from school/work to home. I know it may sound harsh but too many teens these days need to learn to be a little more respectful. I really hope this is a lesson for others out there not just for teens but adults as well.


    Grumpy Old Geezer wrote on September 11, 2009 02:44 AM: See little boys and girls, when mommy and daddy tell you to not even drink in the first place and if you are somehow hard headed enough to proceed to, not to get behind the wheel of the hand me down car that they gave you. You see if you do you could wreck and die or cause others to get hurt. Too bad young Johnny and Jane do not read these comments cause it just isnt cool amongst there piers. Oh well live and learn I guess.