School bus stops added after boy dies

Diana Sahagun

Wednesday, Oct. 6, 1999 | 10:52 a.m.

Prompted by the recent death of an 8-year-old boy, who died in a car accident at the intersection of Lake Mead Boulevard and Simmons Street, the Clark County School District is stepping in to give children a safe way to get to school.

Parents have been upset since Sunday when Erik Quintana Jr. was killed when a driver allegedly ran a stop sign and collided with a van carrying the boy and his family.

Parents say the intersection is dangerous for children crossing the street to school and are demanding a traffic light be installed. For three days parents have been picketing at the intersection, wearing signs that say "Stop Light Now!"

Starting this morning, the Clark County School District has added two stops to its normal bus route to Detwiler Elementary School to allow students to avoid the intersection. Mary Stanley-Larsen, public information specialist for the school district, said the bus stops will continue until a permanent traffic signal is in place.

Vicky Butler, who waited with her sons, 7-year-old Akean and 10-year-old Sauve Harrington, at one of the new bus stops said she is terrified for her children. She has been driving them to school because she does not feel safe letting them cross the six-lane street at Lake Mead Boulevard and Simmons Street.

"It's like trying to cross a river without a canoe," she said. "It's very scary, and I don't think kids should be crossing that street alone."

Until a traffic signal is installed, she will walk her sons to the bus stop every morning.

Keana Osborne waited with her 6-year-old son, Troy, at the second new bus stop this morning on Lake Mead Boulevard. She was carrying a petition with the signatures of parents who support a traffic signal. She plans on sending the petition to the mayor and the governor.

"We've been trying for a while now to get a light up, but the city is just ignoring us," she said. "Kids' lives should come first."

Raymond Burke, transportation services manager for North Las Vegas Public Works, said a traffic signal could be installed by March.

He said Sunday's car crash was the first fatal accident at the intersection in three years. Another accident in August, which killed three family members, including a toddler, and injured two others, occurred 1,000 feet from the intersection, he said.

This week Burke plans on meeting with a consultant for final design plans for the traffic signal. Once the plans are finalized, a bid will be opened for the signal by mid-December. He said the item should be before the City Council for approval by the end of January.

Burke hopes the department will get approval to proceed with the traffic-light construction by February, for completion by March.

A flashing light was installed at the end of August, warning motorists to slow down to 25 mph. But Butler said that hasn't helped.

"Cars will not obey the speed limit, and they do not give kids crossing the street the right of way," she said.

Five people, including three children, are still hospitalized at University Medical Center after the Sunday accident.

The accident sent six others to UMC with serious injuries. The driver of one car, Tempie McDonald, 39, is in critical condition, as is Quintana's 26-year old mother.

A 1-year-old boy was discharged on Tuesday, leaving a 10-year-old boy in fair condition and 6-year-old in critical.

Quintana's father, 26, was treated and released for his injuries on Sunday. Sun Reporter

Jace Radke contributed to this story.