A Nevada man, 19-year-old Jose Gutierrez, is facing murder charges following a 12-car collision that he allegedly caused by driving at more than double the speed limit. The authorities suspect that the crash was not accidental, leading to the death of Gutierrez’s pregnant girlfriend and another driver.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson revealed that Gutierrez was sober during the incident. Wolfson further elaborated that the evidence, including a comprehensive video, indicates that Gutierrez’s actions were premeditated. The absence of any braking before the crash was a significant factor leading to this conclusion.
Gutierrez made his initial court appearance last Friday. However, his bail hearing was deferred after a short session. The deadly crash took place at the intersection of West Cheyenne Avenue and North Jones Boulevard in Las Vegas. Gutierrez is alleged to have driven his 2011 Infiniti G37 into several vehicles that were stopped at a red light.
The crash claimed the lives of Gutierrez’s 20-year-old pregnant girlfriend, Adilene Rincon, and another driver, 38-year-old Edward Garcia. Several other people were rushed to UMC Trauma, with one person in critical condition and another in serious condition, as per a statement from the Las Vegas Metro Police.
Post-crash investigations found a marijuana vape in Gutierrez’s possession. However, it was established that he was not under its influence during the incident. Initially, Gutierrez faced four counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm. These charges were later escalated to include open murder, attempted murder, and battery with the use of a deadly weapon.
Court documents show that Gutierrez has a history of reckless conduct. In October, he was fined for speeding, and in April, he was arrested for threatening a police officer who was responding to a report of a woman alleging she had been hit by Gutierrez. Gutierrez is due to appear in court again on January 6 for his arraignment.