Megabucks winner still serious after fatal accident

Tuesday, March 14, 2000 | 10:50 a.m.

The woman who hit a record $35 million Megabucks slot jackpot in January was listed in serious condition this morning after a weekend accident.

Cynthia Jay-Brennan was injured Saturday night in a chain-reaction auto accident at Boulder Highway and Indios Avenue that killed her 45-year-old sister, Lela Anne Jay.

Services for Jay, a tile installer who has lived in Las Vegas 20 years, will be private. Hites Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Metro Police arrested Las Vegan Clark Morse, 57, who has three convictions for drunken driving and an arrest record for driving under the influence dating back 19 years. He was charged with felony driving under the influence after he fled the scene, police said.

The accident occurred when Morse's 1997 Ford Explorer failed to stop at a red light as it traveled south on Boulder Highway, police said. Stopped at the light were four cars in the left travel lane, police said.

The Explorer rear-ended Jay-Brennan's 1999 Camaro, starting a chain reaction involving all four cars stopped at the light, police said.

The others involved in the accident were identified as Nita Reinhard, 42, of Las Vegas, who was driving a 1990 Buick and suffered moderate injuries; Willie Harden, 47, of Las Vegas, who was driving a 1991 Ford and suffered minor injuries; Jeffrey Casale, 30, of Las Vegas, who was driving a 1996 Acura and was uninjured; Joseph Barton, 45, of Las Vegas, a passenger in the Ford, who suffered minor injuries; and Bill Miller, 44, of Las Vegas, a passenger in the Acura, who suffered minor injuries.

Morse remained in the Clark County Detention Center this morning, jail officials said.