Fatal accident was second for tractor-trailer driver

Mary Manning and Christina Littlefield

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003 | 11:08 a.m.

A truck driver whose truck hit and killed a 10-year-old North Las Vegas on Monday afternoon was involved in a 2002 accident that killed a Las Vegas teen.

Police said the man was cleared in both accidents -- the victims' actions caused the accidents.

Richard McFadden, a 57-year-old driver for Pipes Paving, was not charged in either accident, Metro Police said Wednesday afternoon. Police said the victims' actions caused the accidents and called the incidents tragic.

In the Aug. 30, 2002, accident, Ryan Sneed, 16, was in a Jeep Cherokee with four other teenagers when the high school student pulled in front of McFadden's tractor-trailer at Ann Road and Hualapai Way, about a mile from Centennial High School.

Ryan Sneed's sister, Samantha Sneed, 15, Lauren Ozawa, 14, Jade Ozawa, 15, and Emily McIntyre, 14, were taken to University Medical Center in critical condition, but they recovered.

Metro Detective Steven Winne said the students were driving 70 mph and rode through the stop sign, hitting the side of McFadden's truck.

"(McFadden) was nowhere near at fault in that wreck in 2002, and from my understanding he's not at fault in this accident," Winne said.

Winne said there was nothing McFadden could have done to have prevented the 2002 accident.

"He just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time," Winne said. "He's driving legally and someone does something illegal."

Winne said McFadden "was pretty devastated by the wreck" involving the high schoolers, and police who investigated Monday's accident said McFadden was distraught.

McFadden did not want to talk to the Sun about either wreck Wednesday or today.

The most recent fatal accident involving McFadden happened about 3:30 p.m. on Monday.

Jade Kilmer, a fifth grader at Priest Elementary School in North Las Vegas, died at the scene after apparently slipping under the wheels of McFadden's tractor-trailer at the intersection of Gowan Road and Clayton Street, North Las Vegas police spokesman Justin Roberts said.

McFadden was turning from Gowan Road south onto Clayton Street. Based on information from witnesses -- including several Priest students who were waiting to cross the intersection -- it appeared Kilmer tried to stop or turn on his skates, but was unable to avoid the trailer's wheels, Roberts said.

McFadden, unaware of the accident, continued for half a block down the street before witnesses stopped him, Roberts said.

Roberts said the death apparently "was a tragic accident," but North Las Vegas police were continuing to investigate the circumstances.

McFadden cooperated with police investigating the accident, Roberts said.

A toxicology report is pending on McFadden, but police do not believe alcohol or drugs were factors, Roberts said.

Kevin Malone, spokesman for the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, said McFadden has a valid class A commercial driver's license and no moving violation convictions on record.

McFadden's employers at Pipes Paving declined to comment.

School counselors were available at Priest this week to offer aid to students upset by the death of their classmate.