Pedestrian, bicyclist are killed

Heather Rawlyk

Tuesday, May 11, 2004 | 11:20 a.m.

A woman who had been crossing a street in northeast Las Vegas was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver Monday night, and a bicyclist died after being hit by a car early today in Henderson, police said.

The bicyclist had been northbound on Green Valley Parkway just north of Windmill Lane about 4 a.m. when she was apparently struck from behind by a red 2000 Hyundai driven by 28-year-old Nicole Cowans of Henderson, Officer Shane Lewis, Henderson Police spokesman, said.

Alcohol is believed to be involved, and the driver may face drunken driving charges, Lewis said. The investigation is continuing. The name and age of the bicyclist had not been released this morning.

On Monday night, a 44-year-old woman was killed by a hit-and-run driver while crossing Las Vegas Boulevard just south of Nellis Boulevard, Metro Police said.

The woman was not in a crosswalk when she was struck by a vehicle that was going north on Las Vegas Boulevard, Metro Police Detective Bill Redfairn said.

The driver did not notify police and did not wait at the scene as required by law, police said.

A street sweeper discovered the dead woman about 9:15 p.m. and called police, Redfairn said. Police do not know how long the woman's body was on the road before being found or if the victim had been struck by more than one vehicle, he said.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name had not been released this morning.

Police have no witnesses, but several vehicle parts indicate that vehicle may be gray or silver with front end damage, investigators said. Mirror glass found at the scene indicates the vehicle's outside mirror was probably damaged.

Redfairn said the pedestrian was at fault and had the driver stopped the vehicle, there probably would have been no charges filed.

However, because the driver fled the scene, charges of hit-and-run are pending.

"The driver was not at fault and should have just stopped the vehicle," Redfairn said. "Even if the driver was found to be drunk, they'd only face a misdemeanor DUI. Now they're facing a felony hit-and-run."

Redfairn said traffic deaths are accumulating at a record pace in Metro's jurisdiction. Last year, Metro recorded 126 traffic deaths. The woman found Monday night was the 45th traffic death in Metro's jurisdiction this year and the 15th pedestrian traffic death.

Anyone with information about the case can call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555 or Redfairn at 229-3128.