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Steve Marcus / File photo
A clean-up crew loads the remains of a bus stop after a crash on Boulder Highway, just north of Flamingo Road, that killed one person who was waiting for a bus in July 2008. Another person who was at the bus stop and the driver of a sport utility vehicle were also hospitalized.
Published Monday, July 7, 2008 | 2:42 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008 | 10:15 a.m.
Steven Murray
(First posted at 8:18 a.m.) Metro Police arrested 44-year-old Steven Murray once he was treated and released from University Medical Center after the Dodge Ram pickup truck he was driving struck a bus stop, killing one woman and injuring another today.
Murray was charged with driving under the influence and causing death in one case and driving under the influence with substantial bodily harm in the second, police said. Both are felonies.
Police suspect prescription drugs may have played a role in this accident. Police are awaiting results of blood tests on Murray.
The two people waiting for a bus on Boulder Highway north of Flamingo Road were taken to Sunrise Hospital's trauma unit, said Metro Police spokesman Jose Montoya.
One person, a 51-year-old Las Vegas woman, was pronounced dead and the second individual -- Porshe Hughes, a 26-year-old from Henderson -- is in critical condition, Montoya said.
Police closed the northbound lanes of Boulder Highway about 5:36 a.m. after the pickup truck ran up on the sidewalk, crashed into the bus stop and ended on its passenger side.
From the tv news pix the guy who did this looked like a drugged out scum bag. This particular bus stop is one of the few that is far enough away from the normal flow of traffic. I know because I live nearby and have taken the Boulder bus from that very kiosk when my car was down. However, I would never, ever sit in one of those bus kiosks - they are death traps. Remember the horrible (4 people) killed on Smoke Ranch about three or four years ago? I think they were also sitting in the kiosk. There have been other accidents as well. Whenever I take the bus, which is rare, I always stand facing traffic and at least 12 feet back from the stop/kiosk. The RTC needs to take a serious look at this mounting problem.
Well being that I am a family member of the person driving I think it is only fair to say there are two sides to every story. First I want to say I am sorry for the loss of patricia's family. I can't even start to say how sorry I am for your loss.
Steve has has multiple back surgerys. He is only on pain meds so that he can function. The reason for this accident I am sure was not because of any medication. He has been an outstanding person in our family he loves the kids and they love him. I can't begin to tell you how sick I feel about this situation. I think before anybody jumps to throw someone under the bus both sides need to be heard.
The DUIs that were in Texas were 10 years ago. He has paid his debt as far as that goes. He has been nothing but honest about what he had taken. How many drug addicts are truthfull? There is not a mean bone in this mans body.
Where is the person that was driving the car that cut him off? I hope they are sleeping well tonight..
The bottom line is that nothing good will come out of this situation 3 lives are forever changed not to mention their familys. My prayers go out to all involved. I hope that there is something good that will come out of this..
I scum bag he is not he has taken care of my diabled mother for years. Get facts before you place blame or make comments. One thing to keep in mind is that everyone has a family. Steves family, church, and friend all stand behind him. Being nasty may make people feel better. Lets face it we all need someone to blame. It makes us feel better.
The media is not going to report the good side of someone. Thats not news. I called many news stations they don't want to hear the other side. Please if you have any comments make sure they are facts. Don't judge a book by it's cover...
I'm am one of the daughters of PAT HOFF and let me start by saying we can judge this book by it's cover since the history of his driving speaks for it's self. This is true that everyone's family is hurt by this but my family is now suffering the loss of a very good women-mother-friend and her pride in joy of being a grandmother and since this act of stupitity has taken my mother's life she will never see her grandchildern grow up and never see her family again nor will we be able to see her or tell her we love her to. so please remember this was not a accident look in the dictionary and you will see what the word accident means. He knows what he did wrong and that was getting behind the wheel. So for everyone reading please remember don't let your family and friends drive when there are drunk or on any kinds of drugs, we need to stop this kind of act.
Well, being that I am a long time family friend of Patricia Hoff, let me tell you, that you can judge a book by it's cover! The mug shot of this man shows him wearing sun glasses! What would anyone think about a picture like that?
Second of all, the woman that is now gone, who was irreplaceable to many of us, would probably get very mad at me for speaking out about this matter, because as far as she was concerned, no one should speak ill of anyone, no matter what they did or said. I'm sorry, in memory of a great woman, I am going to!
If this man was that bad off that he had to take presription strength pain pills to function on a daily basis, then where was the family that loved him SO MUCH, that let him get behind the wheel at 5:30am with only a driver's PERMIT? Oh, and the comment about throwing someone under a bus- try being thrown in to an SUV!Also, according to ALL the witnesses, this man was NOT cut-off; like the family member that is speaking out said in her post, "How many drug addicts tell the truth?"
Here is a fact for the death of Patricia Hoff: she was sitting a bus stop at 5:30am, minding her own business, apparently having a day that was filled with life, and it a split second, that was taken from her by a man that was under the influence of God knows what, behind the wheel of a vehicle that he could not legally operate, and had to wear dark sun glasses for his mug shot to conceal what? As far as I am concerned, I will honor Pat's memory, I will not wish anything on him, but I will stand by my belief for karma. Whatever is now meant for him will be.
As far as the family of Pat is concerned, there is a great loss- the only side that ANYONE wants to hear is the side for her, not the "other side to every story".
As far as the family of the woman that is only 26 years old, my thoughts and prayers are with you and yours.
RIP Patricia Hoff
I have known Steve for years as a co-worker. He is not perfect - neither am I and neither are you. But he is not a "scumbag drug addict". He has about a fifteen inch scar up his back from surgical attempts to repair his permanently damaged spine.
If any other driver was forced off the road the results would have been just as horrific, the suffering just as great.
He is a scapegoat for unsafe bus stops. How many more people need to be mowed down waiting for a bus in this town before proper barriers are installed?
My heart and my prayers go out to everyone touched by this awful tragedy.
Stupid those are prescription glasses.. I guess you all have a delusion that we get to see Steve and hug him and talk to him on the phone every day. You all are wrong!! Dead Wrong. When his wife visits his they are in two separate rooms only talking over monitors three days a week for 20 minutes. He may as well be dead. So for all of you that have so much knowledge in this situation CHECK THE FACTS!
Steve being in prison will not bring anybody back. Your uneducated comments are just what they are uneducated.
There is not any thing anybody can do to fix this. It is done.
First of all, keris, don't call me stupid, and second of all, don't call me uneducated. Like you said, CHECK THE FACTS: "When his wife visits his they are in two separate rooms only talking over monitors three days a week for 20 minutes." Your quote simply put, means that at least his wife gets to see him! Do you know how my best friend gets to see her mom? In an URN! Do you know that the 26 year old girl can not go run in the park with her small children anymore? I know the facts are that he was proven to have substances in his system and was charged with a DUII (Just one of the FEW charges he now has to face). I know that this GOD of a stepfather who turned Mormon (BTW, mormons don't worship crosses the way your photo op showed) did not have a drivers license, only a PERMIT, which means that he should not have even been behind the wheel! So all this love and support that you have been showering should have been first of all making sure that it was not him at 5:30am behind the wheel of the SUV! So, before you start calling names, why don't you take a step back and read your "ignorant" post on which one of us is "stupid" or "uneducated". The only statement that I have read that you have made that could be anything close to true, is that there is not anything anybody can do. It is done, that is true, but it's not. The proper thing that should have been posted is: "What has been done, has been done, and there is nothing anybody can do to turn back the hands of time and bring this woman back to life, or give this young girl the freedom of 2 legs back". With you sitting here, calling names, and trying to turn around that your family is now suffering will not get you any points from the public, because nobody but the amount of people that you can count on your little digits cares to hear. OOOOOHHHHHH! Wait! That's right, step-dad is now in prison facing the fact that he broke the LAWS, and the guilt of allowing him to do it is tearing you guys up inside! Ok, sweetheart, I see your loss now! I feel your pain now! Wait, I can't, because I am still grieving over a woman who had her life needlessly taken away! P.S.- Check your grammar. Some of us actually are "educated"! RIP Patricia Hoff
You are stupid. 1st I am not mormon. 2nd I am not guilty of anything I live in another state. 3rd I really don't care what anybody thinks of me. Call me what you will.
I can't believe this girl is defending such a sorry excuse for a human. She has no substansil argument that Steven is a good, morman , family man. Please....if this were the case, that good morman family man would've offered to help Pat and Porshe. Instead he stood there looking like the dazed and narcotic dependent fool that he is.
Not only that but the look of smugness and the half smirk he puts on for the media isn't helping your argument. Say we don't take his history into fact, "It was over 10 years ago." Lets explain the present...
Here in Las Vegas his track record speaks loud and clear and besides habitual traffic violations and dui, Steven Murray has commited Grand Larceny, so stop insulting your intellegince by defending your step dad and making him out to be someone whom he is not. Actions speak louder than words and you don't even know what the truth is. You have been away from the big picture for years. Oh and your mom, yeah she is bi-polar. But did you know that mental illness is hereditary.You look really bad here, offering your condolences to pats family and turning around talking down to them defending steve. ha and thats real sensitive of you to use the metaphor "throwing some one under the bus." But we will chalk it up to the mental illness in the family.
In conclusion I pray to god for justice and have made my opinon clear to the district attorney as well and the prosecution has received several letters on mine and my families behalf. 25 years is the least this man deserves to serve. And in no way should he be compared to the Jessica williams or other people who are serving their time because the difference between them and steven is, they have remorse. In my line of work and my experience he was and is senseless, arrogant and careless. His dependency to pain narcotics regardless of his back condition screams "DRUG ADDICT" and to remind everyone he was on his cell phone and witnesses saw no other car cut him off what so ever. His reaction/reflex was to plow into 2 women at the bus stop??? Give me a break, you know that doesn't sound right. The drugs were being abused...it is clear. If u have something to say to me, say it. Pat should of lived and steven murray should've been mangeled and killed in his pick up truck. That would've been fair. Hope the guilt for u and your family overcomes your life.
Sara,
I have no idea who you are, and neither does Pat's daughter, but I would like to thank you for the kind words you expressed. Everything that you have said sums up all the feelings that I have.
As far as this keris chick is concerned, you're in another state, that's fine..... So, if you are in another state, your facts are just as educated as the next person that's getting the 2nd hand information reading the paper. You calling me stupid doesn't phase me. I know the truth, and obviously Sara does too, and we don't even know who she is. Pat should have lived. The young girl that is now without one of her legs should not be going through what she is going through: without 2 legs for the rest of her life. Steven Murray should have never been behind that wheel to begin with- that's a FACT that should have been checked from the beginning when he was getting to ready to walk out that door.
RIP Patricia Hoff! We love you and miss you!