Blood tests received in fatal bus stop crash

Mary Manning and Stephen Curran

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 | 9:39 a.m.

Metro Police have received the results of the toxicology blood tests for the driver charged in the accident that killed four people at a bus stop March 14, but authorities had not filed charges in connection with the deaths as of this morning.

The test results were forwarded to Clark County District Attorney David Roger but were not released to the public as part of the ongoing investigation.

Sheriff Bill Young and fatal investigators met Monday with Roger and Las Vegas City Attorney Brad Jerbic. The officials agreed that further investigation is needed before the case can be resolved, police said.

Investigators with Metro's Fatal Unit received results from the toxicology tests for Veronica Schmidt, 34, who is believed to have lost control of her Ford Explorer last week on Smoke Ranch Road at Rock Springs, causing it to run into three Cimarron-Memorial High School students and a woman at a nearby bus stop, Sgt. Tracy McDonald said.

Police were told Schmidt had a medical condition that may have contributed to the accident. The families of the victims are eager to hear the results of the toxicology test, they told reporters.

McDonald said this morning that investigators were busy compiling a medical history on Schmidt to send to Roger's office, a process that could take several days. That information, along with Schmidt's toxicology results, will determine whether she is arrested, McDonald said.

"We have not had an accident of this magnitude that could possibly be solely (attributed to) a medical episode," he said. "Because of that, we've been tasked with getting additional and correct medical background in order to know how to proceed."

If the tests yielded positive results, Roger could demand the woman be arrested or could call for a grand jury indictment, McDonald said.

The sheriff and Metro staff said that they know it is difficult for the families.

"We hope in the interest of doing a complete and thorough investigation that everyone will be patient," police said in a prepared statement.

Samantha Gail Allen, 36, 14-year-old Angelica Jimenez, her sister Raquel Jimenez and Reginald E. Williams, both 16, died when Schmidt's SUV collided with the bus stop.