Boy, 8, killed in collision; mother in critical condition

Jace Radke

Monday, Oct. 4, 1999 | 11:50 a.m.

Sun reporter Jerry Fink contributed to this story.

An 8-year-old boy was killed when the van he and his family were traveling in was hit by a car running a stop sign Sunday afternoon in North Las Vegas, police said.

The coroner's office identified the child today as Erik Quintana Jr.

A spokesperson for University Medical Center said the 26-year-old father of the boy was treated and released. The mother, also 26, is listed in critical condition, and three siblings, ages 1, 6 and 9, are in fair condition.

Tempie McDonald, the 39-year-old woman identified as the driver of the car involved in the accident, was in critical condition this morning.

North Las Vegas Police spokesman Lt. Chris Larotonda said the family of six was headed east on Lake Mead Boulevard when, witnesses say, a Saturn headed east on Simmons Street ran a stop sign and collided with the van in the middle of the intersection just before 2 p.m. Sunday.

"It looks like the Saturn just T-boned the van," Larotonda said. "We believe that most if not all of the six people in the van were thrown from the vehicle."

After colliding with the Saturn, the van hit a light pole and broke off a fire hydrant before rolling over and coming to a stop in a vacant lot at the southeast corner of the intersection.

The Saturn slid into a pickup stopped at the intersection in the northbound travel lane of Simmons.

All six people in the van and the driver of the Saturn were taken to University Medical Center where 8-year-old Erik died from his injuries. The driver of the pickup was not injured.

Larotondo said the accident is under investigation. No citations have been issued. Charges are pending, he said.