Driver indicted for crash

Erica D. Johnson

Monday, July 28, 2003 | 9:53 a.m.

A 65-year-old Henderson man charged with plowing into seven pedestrians in a crosswalk near the Fremont Street Experience has been indicted on multiple charges stemming from the crash.

The grand jury indictment unsealed Friday before District Judge Gene Porter charges Gilbert Berger with three counts of reckless driving and eight counts of leaving the scene of an accident in the July 6 collision.

William Marsh, 43, and his wife, Dianne Marsh, 55, of Texas were critically injured in the crash and five others sustained moderate to serious injuries.

Dianne Marsh was recently released from UMC, hospital officials said.

Prosecutor Christopher Laurent said William Marsh is in "a vegetative state right now because of this."

Berger was being held at the Clark County Detention Center with bail set at $100,000. He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Nancy Saitta.

Deputy Public Defender Sharon Dickenson declined comment on the case this morning.

Authorities say Berger was driving through downtown Las Vegas in a 2001 Nissan Altima when he ran a red light at Fremont Street and careened into the crowd.

Police initially suspected Berger was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision but tests proved otherwise, Laurent said.

"His blood-alcohol level came back as negative, even though the individual said he'd had six Scotches prior to the collision," he said.

Berger is a diabetic who was taking several prescription medications, including blood pressure medications, at the time of the crash, Laurent said.

He told police he experienced a medical problem while driving and might have blacked out, police said. He said he didn't realize he'd hit anyone.

Berger fled the scene following the accident and a cab driver chased Berger down and called police. Officers found him several blocks away at Charleston Boulevard and Eastern Avenue.

In a similar incident, Russell Weller, 86, was arrested earlier this month after he drove his car into a crowded farmer's market in Santa Monica, Calif., killing 10 people and injuring dozens of others.