Minor charge for crushed legs questioned

Eric Leake

Thursday, April 14, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

The wife of a North Las Vegas city employee whose legs were amputated after they were crushed by an apparently careless and unlicensed driver said Wednesday that the driver ought to serve prison time for the crash.

"I really don't know much about the law, but I don't want to see him (the driver) walk away," Nancy Borruto said.

Nancy Borruto said Wednesday that her 48-year-old husband, Anthony Borruto, is well but angry about what happened.

"He's angry because he heard on the news that the gentleman who did this is going to walk away with a misdemeanor."

Her husband, on the other hand, "cannot walk because he (the driver) took his legs. ... This has changed his life forever."

Anthony Borruto had arrived for work at Joe Kneip Park along Bassler Street Tuesday morning and was at the rear of his work truck when a car driven by Jesus Cervantes Cano, 20, crashed into him and crushed his legs between the vehicles, police said.

Cano may have been eating while driving and apparently was not paying enough attention to the road, North Las Vegas Police spokesman Tim Bedwell said. Police are still investigating, he said. Cano appeared genuinely upset after the collision and consented to a blood test, Bedwell said.

Cano was cited for driving without a license and for failure to pay full attention -- a misdemeanor. He was jailed with bail set at $10,000, police said.

Anthony Borruto remained in critical but stable condition Wednesday at University Medical Center, Bedwell said. Doctors and family had to choose between trying to save his legs or his life, Bedwell said.

Nancy Borruto said her husband remembered nothing after the accident but recalled returning to his truck for tools before he was hit.

"This man was just doing his job," she said. "He loves his job. He loves working for the city of North Las Vegas."

She said he hopes to eventually return to work.

Anthony Borruto has worked for the city for eight years and is a maintenance worker in the parks and recreation department.

He has three children in their 20s and an infant grandson.

Nancy Borruto thanked the man who called 911 and asked Cano to consider the repercussions of what happened before he ever drives again.

Donations to help the Borruto family may be made to Bank of America account 4970851385.

Cards or flowers may be sent to Anthony Borruto, c/o The City of North Las Vegas, Parks and Recreation Department, 1638 N. Bruce St., North Las Vegas, NV, 89015.