Fight may have led to fatal crash

Karen Zekan

Friday, Feb. 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

A family dispute may have provoked a 34-year-old man to speed through a northeast Las Vegas intersection and cause a collision that cost him his life.

Family members told police that Alexander Walter Gendron, 34, of Las Vegas was at an apartment complex a quarter-mile away moments before the collision at Nellis Boulevard and Vegas Valley Drive about 4 p.m. Thursday.

"We're checking reports that the man may have been involved in a family fight before he got in the car," said Metro Police Sgt. Curt Albert. "According to witnesses, he was driving about 60 to 70 mph through the intersection. He didn't even attempt to slow down for the red light."

Gendron, who had been northbound on Nellis in a black Ford Mustang, crushed the driver's side of a gold Mazda Millenia, which had been westbound on Vegas Valley and was about to make a left-hand turn onto southbound Nellis, Albert said.

The collision sent both cars flying, knocking the Mazda more than 20 yards north of the intersection.

The Mustang's driver was killed on impact, Albert said.

The Mazda's driver, whose identity has yet to be released, was transported by paramedics in extremely critical condition to University Medical Center, Albert said.

Larry Taylor was the third collision victim, escaping injury when the careening Mazda struck his driver's-side door as he sat in his dark blue Toyota MR2 in southbound Nellis traffic waiting for the signal light to turn green.

"I was on my way home from work," Taylor said. "I heard the collision and then just saw the cars in the air. I saw the gold car flying toward me, so I leaned over into the other seat so it wouldn't hit me."

Taylor's driver door won't open because of the damage, but he considered himself lucky to be alive.

"You better know the Lord," Taylor said, standing curbside as Metro's fatal investigative team worked up measurements and photographed evidence. "That's the way. He watches over you."