LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A person who drove drunk at 140 mph and killed one other driver, splitting his automobile in two, will serve not less than 4 years in jail, a choose dominated Thursday.
On March 22, 2024, Charlie Hernandez was rushing in a Dodge Challenger on Las Vegas Boulevard close to Cheyenne Avenue when he struck a Hyundai Accent turning from Walnut Highway onto the boulevard. The power of the crash brought about the Hyundai to separate into two elements and the Challenger to roll over, police mentioned.
Luciano Chavez, 38, the driving force of Hyundai, died within the crash. A passenger suffered substantial accidents, police mentioned on the time.
Investigators reviewing the Challenger’s inner pc discovered the automobile was touring at 140 mph about three seconds earlier than the airbags deployed, paperwork mentioned. Hernandez was allegedly urgent the accelerator at full throttle. One millisecond earlier than the crash, the automobile was touring at 127 mph.
A marshal handcuffs Charlie Hernandez after Clark County District Court docket Choose Bita Yeager sentenced him to 4-12 years in jail. (KLAS)
“We MUST do better, Clark County!” Metro police posted on social media after the crash. “Families are suffering due to reckless choices! It’s time to put an END to this tragedy!”
Final yr, Hernandez took a plea deal on a cost of DUI leading to loss of life. As a part of the deal, a choose would sentence him to jail, however prosecutors wouldn’t have the fitting to argue for a particular sentence. State legislation requires judges to condemn offenders of DUI leading to loss of life to jail for not less than two years with a most of 20 years. The legislation stipulates the utmost period of time a DUI-with-death offender will be in jail earlier than a parole listening to is eight years.
A invoice handed in 2023, generally referred to as Rex’s Legislation, elevated jail time to a most of 10 years for drivers going greater than 50 miles per hour over the pace restrict in a deadly crash. It was beforehand six years.
In court docket Thursday, Clark County District Court docket Choose Bita Yeager sentenced Hernandez to 4-12 years.
“I messed up. I wish I could take every back, but I know I can’t,” Hernandez informed Yeager earlier than she sentenced him. Hernandez added he believed he was the least impaired in a bunch of individuals after a celebration and made a poor choice.
Luciano Chavez died within the crash on March 22, 2024. Chavez got here to the US from Guatemala and was working as a chef, his household mentioned. (Angelica Chavez)
Hernandez lately turned a father and had no legal document earlier than the crash, he and his lawyer informed the choose.
Chavez immigrated to the US from Guatemala and was working as a chef, his household mentioned. His two brothers spoke in Spanish with the assistance of a translator.
“He was driving 140 miles per hour, which is unacceptable,” Geronimo Chavez mentioned. “I also drive but not even on the freeway would I go at that speed.”
“When a son loses a wife, he becomes a widower. When a son loses a parent, he becomes an orphan. But there’s no name for this type of death,” Cesar Chavez mentioned.
The crash was so violent, it break up Luciano Chavez’s automobile in half. (KLAS)
Chavez’ niece, Angelica Chavez, relayed the significance of justice when another person takes an individual’s life.
“We always try to look to the future and when it’s completely cut short from of the actions of someone else truly I feel like there should be justice,” she mentioned.
Earlier than asserting her choice, Yeager mentioned the 140-mile-per-hour quantity caught out among the many DUI circumstances she sees.
“I don’t think that this is the type of case where the minimums are appropriate,” she mentioned.
With credit score for time served, Hernandez will probably be eligible for parole in 2029. His household cried within the courtroom as Yeager delivered her sentence.
8 Information Now Investigator David Charns will be reached at [email protected].
