One killed, five injured in weekend accidents

Monday, Sept. 26, 2005 | 9:59 a.m.

One man was killed and at least five people were injured in traffic accidents during the weekend, authorities report.

Another man was also found dead on Saturday morning on a road near a bicycle. Metro Police homicide detectives are investigating the incident.

A 36-year-old Las Vegas man riding a motor scooter was killed in a collision with a 2000 Hyundai Elantra about 11 p.m. on Saturday in southern Las Vegas, Metro Police said.

Dana Oakley was riding a 2000 Hunter Scooter in the left lane going north on Maryland Parkway. He was pronounced dead by paramedics at Maryland Parkway and Reno Avenue.

No charges have been filed in the crash, police said.

Geraldine Stevens, 66, of Las Vegas, was making a left turn from Maryland Parkway when Oakley's scooter struck the right side of the Hyundai. He was thrown off, police said.

A 23-year-old cabdriver was in critical condition after a three-vehicle crash about 5 a.m. Sunday at Tropicana Avenue and Paradise Road, police said.

Wubshet Chekulo, driving his cab east on Tropicana, was making a left turn onto Paradise when the cab crashed with a 2005 Volkswagen Jetta driven by 26-year-old Hugo Ojeda-Pastran of Las Vegas, police said.

After Chekulo's vehicle had stopped, it was struck by a 1996 Dodge Neon driven by 20-year-old Erwin Gallegos-Troncoso of Las Vegas, police said.

Chekulo was taken to Sunrise Hospital Trauma Center in critical condition, police said. Ojeda-Pastran and a passenger in the taxicab, Jonathan Laney, 26, of Fort Carson, Colo., were taken to University Medical Center's Trauma Unit with moderate injuries, police said.

Sunrise declined to comment on Chekulo this morning.

UMC stated that Ojeda-Patran and Laney were discharged from the hospital.

No charges have been filed in the crash.

Jose Luis Cortes, age unknown, of Las Vegas is in critical condition at Sunrise Hospital after a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria driven by 28-year-old Jacob Harding of Las Vegas rear-ended Cortez as he drove his bicycle in the center turn lane on Harmon Avenue, west of Paradise Road, police said.

Sunrise also declined to comment on Cortes.

Cortes was thrown from the bicycle, but Harding and his two passengers, Mark Wynn, 34, of Henderson, and Corneal Singleton, 25, of Henderson, were not injured, police said.

North Las Vegas Police are investigating a crash that left 18-year-old Roman Valencia-Ruiz of Las Vegas unconscious about 10:45 p.m. on Saturday. Valencia-Ruiz was going east on Lake Mead Boulevard in a 1997 Honda SUV with one passenger and crashed after making a left turn at Belmont Street.

The driver of the second sedan, Victor Trujillo, 18, also of Las Vegas, and three passengers were taken to either University Medical Center or North Vista Hospital, police said.

Police said alcohol or drugs may have contributed to the crash although blood test results are pending.

A man with head injuries whom Metro Police found lying in the 200 block of Sixth Street in downtown Las Vegas about 3 a.m. Saturday died.

Metro homicide detectives are investigating the death of the 35- to 40-year-old man who was taken to University Medical Center with blunt force trauma injuries to his head.

About 6:30 a.m. on Sunday the man died at the hospital, police said. The coroner's office will determine an exact cause and manner of death.

The victim was found on the road with a bicycle close by, police said.

The Clark County Coroner's office could not identify the victim this morning.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro's Homicide Unit at 229-3521 or, if they wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.