Two who died in Spring Mountain Road crash identified

By Mary Manning (contact), Tim Richardson (contact)

Monday, April 20, 2009 | 2:44 p.m.

Fatal crash

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Crash location

2 dead, 8 injured in three-car crash on Spring Mountain Road (4-17-09)

Two people who were killed in a three-vehicle crash Friday that injured eight others after a driver failed to stop at a stop sign in the western Las Vegas Valley have been identified.

The driver and passenger of an eastbound 2005 Hyundai on Spring Mountain Road were killed when it was struck by a southbound 2004 Dodge Neon occupied by four girls, ages 15 to 17. The two occupants of the Hyundai killed in the crash were identified as Wa C. Chiao, 74, and Fu Mei Chiao, 71, both of Las Vegas. Both died of blunt force chest injuries in the crash.

Metro Police Sgt. Oscar Chavez, of Metro's fatal accident detail, said officers responded at 6:13 p.m. Friday to the crash at the intersection of Spring Mountain Road and Erva Street. Chavez said the impact pushed the Hyundai to the southeast corner of the intersection, where it struck a wall. Two of the five occupants of the Hyundai later died at a hospital.

As a result of the crash, the Hyundai also struck a 2002 Saturn stopped at a stop sign south of Spring Mountain Road. The driver of the Saturn, Yong Burnett, 29, of Las Vegas, suffered minor injuries, according to an accident report.

All 10 victims were hospitalized at the time. Two died while the eight others suffered minor injuries, police said.

The names of the 17-year-old driver and three passengers in the Neon weren't released because they are minors, police said. The three occupants of the Hyundai with minor injuries were identified as Chung Na, 58, Chung Ning Na, 60, and Maggie Chin, 67, all of Las Vegas.

Chavez said investigators are still trying to determine why the Neon failed to stop at the stop sign.

The two deaths were the 24th and 25th this year in Metro Police jurisdiction.