Two die, seven injured in auto crash

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2003 | 10:52 a.m.

Two people died and seven were injured in a two-vehicle accident at Rainbow Boulevard and Warm Springs Road Monday that closed Interstate 215 and Rainbow during rush hour Monday.

Libertad Mendez, 39, and Consuelo Gonzalez, 43, both of Las Vegas, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Three adults and four children were taken to University Medical Center, where they were treated for moderate to minor injuries.

Metro Police said a green Dodge Caravan driven by Linda Kiefaber, 54, failed to stop for a stop sign on Warm Springs Road and Rainbow about 5 p.m. A 1999 Honda sedan, driven by Sheila Speece-Ledesma, 29, was traveling north on Rainbow and hit the van, police said.

The van rolled, ejecting Mendez and Gonzalez, who were not wearing seat belts. The van landed on them, police said.

Rescuers had to cut the right passenger door off the van to remove three other victims, police said.

As of this morning Kiefaber was in good condition and Elana Roman, 38, who was also traveling in the van, was in fair condition, UMC officials said. Esquibel Petra, a child in the van, was released Monday. Speece-Ledesma was undergoing surgery this morning.

In another fatal accident about 4 p.m. Monday, 42-year-old Las Vegas resident John Arellano was driving a 1998 GMC Suburban east on Craig Road near Riley at a high rate of speed, witnesses told police.

Police said Arellano tried to pass slower traffic by swerving onto the shoulder, but as he attempted to return to the pavement, the vehicle rolled, ejecting Arellano, who was sole occupant, police said.

Paramedics pronounced Arellano dead at the scene.

The cause of the accident appears to be excessive speed and unsafe passing on the right, police said.

In a third accident, James Celendera, 52, of Las Vegas was attempting to cross Flamingo Road outside a crosswalk near Palos Verde Street when he was struck by a 2000 Cadillac driven by Nicolas Trifilio, 73, police said. Celendera was in critical condition this morning at University Medical Center.

Police said Celender was running across Flamingo, and Trifilio tried to unsuccessfully to stop.

The accident was still under investigation by Metro traffic detetctives, but it appeared jaywalking was the cause, police said.