LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Police suspect a drunk driver was traveling at 140 mph on Las Vegas Boulevard, when he hit a car, splitting it in two and killing its driver, documents said.
Charlie Hernandez, 28, faces charges of DUI resulting in death, DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm and reckless driving, records said.
Shortly after 3 a.m. on Friday, March 22, Hernandez was allegedly speeding southbound in a Dodge Challenger on Las Vegas Boulevard when he struck a Hyundai Accent turning from Walnut Road onto the boulevard. The force of the crash caused the Hyundai to separate into two parts and the Challenger to rollover, police said.
Officers located Hernandez standing near the driver’s side of the Challenger, police said. His passenger was trapped in the car.
Luciano Chavez y Chavez, 38, the driver of the Hyundai, died at the hospital from his injuries, police said. Hernandez’s passenger, identified as Kevin Portillo-Torres, 29, suffered substantial injuries.
Hernandez reportedly told police he was driving Portillo-Torres home because Portillo-Torres, the car’s owner, drank too much, documents said.
While at the Clark County Detention Center, Hernandez told an officer, “I messed up. I [expletive] up. I was driving and I got into an accident,” documents said.
Investigators reviewing the Challenger’s internal computer found the car was traveling at 140 mph about three seconds before the airbags deployed, documents said. Hernandez was allegedly pressing the accelerator at full throttle. One millisecond before the crash, the car was traveling at 127 mph.
Judge Daniel Westmeyer set Hernandez’ bail Saturday at $50,000, records said. Westmeyer ordered Hernandez not to drive should he post bond and wear an alcohol-monitoring bracelet.
Hernandez posted bond and was due to return to court in May.
“We MUST do better, Clark County!” Metro posted on social media after the crash. “Families are suffering due to reckless choices! It’s time to put an END to this tragedy!”
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