A Las Vegas man is in custody following a serious accident that badly injured two children, according to local sources. Nevada authorities arrested the 50-year-old man, who is also suspected of having left the scene of the accident. He stands accused of drunk driving as well as felony hit-and-run.
According to the accident report, the man was driving a sedan around 7:50 p.m. on the evening of June 11 when he reportedly mounted the curb after losing control of his vehicle. The car struck five people on the sidewalk, including two children. The man then reportedly fled the scene before being arrested a short time later.
The two children, a 6-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy, were rushed to a local hospital. Their injuries have been described as critical, and it is hoped they will pull through with appropriate medical attention. Three other people, including a 7-year-old boy and two women aged 39 and 64, were also taken into medical care for less-serious injuries. The man now faces charges including hit-and-run and DUI.
While this accident is clearly a tragic one, particularly considering the injury of children, it does not constitute guilty of the crimes of which he is accused. The burden of proof rests upon the Nevada authorities to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the man was drunk driving at the time of the crash. If appropriate testing was not applied, or if his rights were violated in the application of the tests, the drunk driving charges may be dropped or lightened.
Source: lasvegasnow.com, “2 kids badly hurt, driver facing felony DUI charge in Las Vegas“, June 13, 2016