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Bail lowered for man charged with DUI in UNLV student’s death
Friends, family of Vladimir Lagerev raising money for his release
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 | 12:11 p.m.
Rebel Girl Lindsay Bennett, right, dances with her team during a UNLV men's basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009.
Sun archives
- Man pleads not guilty in alleged DUI death of UNLV freshman (5-28-2009)
- Man charged with DUI in death of Rebel Girl indicted (5-20-2009)
- Man charged in crash that killed Rebel Girl back behind bars (4-30-2009)
- Man charged in crash that killed Rebel Girl released (4-29-2009)
- Bail set for man charged in fatal I-215 crash (4-27-2009)
- Man charged with DUI in fatal head-on crash appears in court (4-22-2009)
The family and friends of Vladimir Lagerev are working to raise money to post his bail after District Judge James Bixler reduced it from $250,000 to $100,000 Tuesday.
Lagerev, 45, is charged with driving under the influence resulting in death after the April 15 head-on collision that killed UNLV freshman Lindsay Bennett, 18. He remained in the Clark County Detention Center this morning, and his attorney Stephen Stein said the soonest he could be released is probably Friday.
As conditions of the bail, Bixler ordered that Lagerev wear an ankle bracelet that will monitor his whereabouts and also whether he has consumed alcohol. He will also be required to surrender his passport, driver's license and marriage license and to be under intensive supervision.
Lagerev was supported during the hearing by numerous friends, who had written letters to Bixler in support of the former dancer who now works as a stagehand at the Wynn.
In the letters, the friends tell Bixler that Lagerev is a responsible father, husband and friend for whom a DUI was out of character.
"Without any doubt we can say that Vladimir is a serious-minded person," wrote friends Nadiya Frolova and Vitaliy Frolov. "He always has been in control of his actions. We have partied together many times, and we have never seen him drunk or out of control," the letter read.
Another letter by Nathan Tanner, a past employer, that is signed by dozens of others says, "Vlad is not an individual who would ever on God's earth harm anyone or anything."
Deputy District Attorney Bruce Nelson had opposed any reduction in bail, noting that Lagerev's blood alcohol level after the crash was 0.20, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08, and that he still has family in Russia.
However, Stein noted in his motion that Lagerev and his wife, Elena, are citizens of the United States and that when Lagerev was mistakenly released from the Clark County jail, he returned of his own accord.
He said he was pleased with the bail reduction, which he said is more within reach of the family's means than the $250,000 was.
"I have always said that pretrial bail in an amount that high is a punishment, not what it should be, in my opinion, under the law," Stein said.
Discussion: 19 comments so far…
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It's not his fault. This event was the Will of the "Higher Power"
what a piece of crap this guy is. ok, so i can be drunk, drive the wrong way, and kill a young girl. thanks for setting the record straight. stupid m'f'r
How can they let this guy out? What his past record happens to be is irrelevant. The decisions he made on that fateful night ended the life of an innocent person. Vlad you are a murderer, and you took the life of a young, innocent and beautiful woman. You deserve never again to see the light of day.
May God be with the Bennett family.
Spare me, Rejco100. He was at fault, and you know it. Anyone who takes the stance that you are taking are ought to feel the same pain Lindsay's parents and brother are feeling. He was driving drunk and killed her by his own stupidity of driving the wrong way. I wonder how he'd feel if someone killed his daughter???? I don't even know why I'm dignifying your post with a response!!!!
Anything else we can do for you? How about giving you some money for your loss wages while you were incarcerated,paleeze, good people do bad things, then they have to pay the price! This is insane, that judge is a joke.People have done less and are now serving time, so lets just give this guy a good spanking and ask him not to do it again.Pathetic.
Comment removed by staff.
What??!!
Let this guy loose? Are they nuts?
The story says:
"As conditions of the bail, Bixler ordered that Lagerev wear an ankle bracelet that will monitor his whereabouts and also whether he has consumed alcohol. He will also be required to surrender his passport, driver's license and marriage license and to be under intensive supervision."
He can get intensive suppervision in jail. Leave him there.
Time served waiting would be counted towards his upcomming sentence. There is no reason to let this man be free till the trial. Let the pope himself come foward and say Vlad is a good guy. He killed a 18 year old. A jail cell should be over his head for at least 7-8 years.
Surrender his marriage license? Pray, what for?
I was just going to say what ducker9mm said. He's accruing time towards his future sentence. I'm assuming this guy doesn't have the $$$ Donte Stallworth spent to reduce his sentence to 30 days. So why bother getting out early if you're just going back?
He killed an 18 year old. He should not be released on bail. Is Lindsay's life only worth $100,000.00?
Here's a simple formula...add the blood alcohol level with the age of the victim and the resulting sum is the number of years he should spend in jail...doesn't 38 sound just about right?
Revoke his citizenship and deport him after he's served his sentence.
LasVegas2009 is going get himself in some serious sh.t posting people's personal info. For example someone attacks the defendant's family and tells police they got the address from your post. Yes, that info is available online if you look for it but you're putting it out there, almost provoking someone to do something with it.
I can tell you this much if you were posting my personal info online, I'd find you and it wouldn't be pretty. But keep doing it, you obviously enjoy it, sooner or later you're gonna do it someone who's gonna take it real personal.
I LOVE his lawyer, bail amount that high is a punishment. Isn't that what he deserves or because it was out of character for this man he should be free to spend time with his family. What about the family and friends that only wish to have that same time with Lindsay. We don't, therefore he must pay. It disgusts me that he cannot accept responsibiliy for his actions, MAN UP! At least you are walking and it should only be within the space of your jail cell.
If he was a pro athlete he'd get 30 days in jail and home detention during the season.
May he painfully rot slowly -
I don't care if this guy could walk on water, and performed miracles before he killed this young lady...he should never see the light of day again.
The court is lowering the bail because? Hard economic times ? Give me a break.Someone is DEAD,enough said.