Bam! Real crash unexpectedly drives message home

Friday, Aug. 24, 2007 | 7:39 a.m.

Television camera crews that gathered Thursday at a Las Vegas intersection for a news conference about the dangers of running red lights couldn't have asked for a better backdrop.

As police waited to begin remarks, Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Kevin Honea glanced at the intersection. Instinct told him a wreck was imminent. He started to say as much to a colleague.

The crash was loud.

"I hadn't even finished the sentence," Honea said.

A red pickup truck turned in front of an oncoming gold Chevy.

A clean up crew spent the rest of the Red Means Stop news conference clearing the street while police officials went on with their speeches.

"Sadly enough, you couldn't ask for a better backdrop," Metro Police spokesman Marty Wright said.

Clark County has had 15 fatal accidents this year resulting from failure to obey traffic signals , Metro spokesman Jose Montoya said. The number is up 150 percent from last year.

Bruce Spotleson, publisher of In Business Las Vegas, began working on the Red Means Stop campaign a year ago, bringing together Metro and the News Community Newspapers in a joint venture to raise awareness about the dangers of running red lights. In Business, The News and the Sun are all owned by The Greenspun Corporation.

The clean up crew was still clearing wreckage after the news conference , Spotleson said.

The driver of the truck was cited for failing to yield the right of way.