Truck driver charged with DUI in ‘horrific’ crash that killed 5 bicyclists, NV cops say
An Arizona man faces DUI charges after he’s accused of driving into a group of bicyclists near Las Vegas, killing five of them, Nevada prosecutors said Wednesday.
The Clark County District Attorney’s Office said Jordan Barson had methamphetamine in his system and charged him with five counts of DUI resulting in death, which carries a prison sentence of 2-20 years per count. Barson is also charged with DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, five counts of reckless driving resulting in death and one count of reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm, officials said.
Barson was behind the wheel in a collision on Dec. 10 that killed five bicyclists and injured more on U.S. 95 near Searchlight, Nevada, prosecutors said. The truck drifted off the highway and crashed into a group of bicyclists, McClatchy News reported.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said in a statement. “I have said hundreds of times, to countless people, making the choice to get behind the wheel of a car when you are intoxicated is reckless. Those actions are unacceptable, and they have consequences. Tragically, this type of reckless behavior has left five people dead, several injured, and our community in mourning once again.”
Barson, a 45-year-old arrested Wednesday in Arizona, is being held in Mohave County jail awaiting extradition, a spokeswoman for the Clark County District Attorney said, according to NBC News.
The Clark County medical examiner identified the deceased as Erin Michelle Ray, 39; Michael Todd Murray, 57; Aksoy Ahmet, 48; Thomas Chamberlin Trauger, 57; and Gerrard Suarez Nieva, 41, all of Las Vegas, NBC News reported.
Another cyclist was critically injured in the crash, according to the publication.
“It’s a horrific tragedy,” said Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Travis Smaka, NBC News reported. “When you have a beautiful sunny day like it is today and we’ve just lost the lives of five people, it’s just a horrible tragedy.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2020 at 3:31 PM with the headline "Truck driver charged with DUI in ‘horrific’ crash that killed 5 bicyclists, NV cops say."