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twitterCoroner IDs motorcyclist in crash that left two injured
Published Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009 | 3:52 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009 | 5:19 p.m.
Fatal crash
Two motorcyclists were speeding and riding wheelies down Sahara Avenue on Tuesday before they crashed into a car, killing one of them and critically injuring the other, Metro Police said.
The crash happened about 8 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Sahara Avenue and Edmond Street.
The Clark County Coroner's Office has identified 22-year-old Daniel Gonzalez of Las Vegas as the motorcyclist who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gonzalez died of several blunt force injuries and his death was ruled an accident, a coroner's spokeswoman said. The driver of the car was also seriously injured, police said.
Evidence at the scene and witness statements indicate the motorcyclists were speeding west on Sahara when they hit a 2004 Mercedes that was eastbound on Sahara and turning left onto Edmond, police said.
One of the bikers, Allen Blunk, 20, of Kingman, Ariz., was thrown from his 2007 Suzuki, which continued on and hit a mini-van that was headed south on Edmond and stopped at the intersection, police said. Blunk was taken to University Medical Center in critical condition.
The driver of the Mercedes, Firouzeh Faili, 62, of Las Vegas, was taken to UMC with serious injuries, police said.
The 61-year-old driver of the van, Fe Macaalay of North Las Vegas, wasn't injured.
The wreck resulted in the 78th traffic fatality of the year in Metro's jurisdiction. The crash remains under investigation, police said.
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darwin.
"Thank God and Greyhound, you're gone".
Comment removed by staff.
As a Rider myself, My Prayers go out to all victims.
But far as the Hateful comments towards the Motorcyclists involved in this fatal crash, lets remember that this person lost his life for his actions. I am not condoning what he did, and may he Rest In Peace. Motorcyclist are at risk each and ever time they ride. Their are stupid drivers that die in accidents everyday but motorcyclist get looked down on because we are on bikes, stupidity is a disease rather on a motorcyle or in a car.
Sometimes the herd needs thinning...
It's a Las Vegas mindset. It has nothing to do with motorcycles, particularly.
Unfortunately, the underdeveloped judgement of youth is often revealed from behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. For those less young (or at least more sedentary) it would seem all that's needed is a computer keyboard.
Since the car was turning left, it's believable that it is the car driver's fault. If your turning left, you never have the right of way. Cars turn left in front of motorcyclists all the time because they don't see the motorcycle dispite lights and all. Still, the way some of these motorcyclists ride, who knows what they were doing that might have contributed to the accident. Certainly they were not the most cautious guys if they were doing wheelies on Sahara.
There is no possible way to fault any vehicles on the road but these two reckless morons. I'm sorry for the loss, but that's one less speed freak on a pocket rocket that is risking my life out there while acting like a jackass on a public street or highway. This is a definite problem in this city, you see them doing it all the time. I wish the driver of the Mercedes a speedy recovery.
"Them, they, those people, etc." I'd like to remind everyone not to put all motorcyclists in the same category here. I wear my gear everyday, head to toe, and don't do any stunts on the roadways along with many others. People are so quick to judge all the time. When's the last time you saw a car speeding past you? Nearly everyday I imagine, you just don't notice all the other cars going the same speed or slower than you are now do you?
Dear Sun Staff,
You spelled 'motorcycles' wrong.
I have seen those morons more then once do this crap in the airport tunnel. If you fall off and get run over in there it's all over for you idiots.
what does metro have to do with it being the 78th traffic fatality of the year in Metro's jurisdiction?
Speeding is a crime and people make stupid mistakes, that is no reason to cast someone out. Cars and motorcycles alike speed, that doesn't mean that someone deserves to die. If this was someone close to you would you be making the same statements? My prayers go out to ALL that suffered from this event; victims, families and friends as this is tragic all around and will stick in some of our minds forever. Rest in peace DJ, you are GREATLY missed.
I lost a Soldier and good freind in a incident similar to this. We had to inform his family that their son died because he was stupid. And now another family will have to get the same brief. Lets pull our heads out of our collective fourth point of contact and stop putting innocents at risk. My thoughts go out to EVERYONE involved.
As a close and personal friend of the rider who lived in this accident, Alan Blunk, I thank those of you who have expressed concern, and I scorn those whose comments serve only to judge the situation. I do not condone my friend's actions, but neither will I punish him with any sort of judgment. This accident is punishment enough for him, and his friend Daniel paid with his life. So before jumping to say something negative, please think twice. Before passing judgment, be thankful that your friends are alive and well tonight.
I am 55+ years old and have been riding for about 25 years I would like to say to all that ride and that don't... you can hear my pan head for miles the color is yellow with orange flames you to can see it for miles..... Please in the he_ll did this jack_ass on 95 around 65 mile per hour decide to run me over. I can't ride my bike any longer. Can't work. Busted 4 disked in my neck and 7 in my back... I set off the airport metal detector..... The reason I right this I had ridden always looking out for the other guy. Just missed this this one. But to all these kids that ride ride your bikes like these two are set to die at a very young age slow down keep your eyes open and pray no body hits you. At the end of my story the SOB hit me ran this was 6 years ago never found him.............
The guys on the bikes were at fault here. It's called reckless driving. You don't pull that crap on city streets. All they did was endanger theirs and everyone else's life on the streets. I'm sorry for what happened to them. and the idiot who turned left in front of them without looking, however they created their own disaster here.. plain and simple..
Judging by the comments I suppose sometimes its okay to speak ill of the dead. The cyclists were in the wrong and they paid the price. It's over for them. Let's hope the driver makes a full recovery and the case is investigated thoroughly.
Emvance, sorry to hear they never caught the driver who victimized you. It is a constant source of pain to me to see wicked people prevail. When I had my daughter I stopped riding. I don't trust a single driver in Las Vegas. Even in my small car, half the drivers out there are driving vehicles that would flatten me in a head-on crash. Lifted trucks especially, with headlights above my roof line and "smile as you go under" bumper stickers. Everybody's safety should be everybody's responsibility on the road, but I suppose that would be socialism, so it's every man for himself.
adam1885282 : You think Vegas is bad, you should try negotiating the boulevards and freeways of Los Angeles..
Stupid is,,Stupid does
No Sympathies whatsoever
peace out
StarchitectEDK, I agree with you. I do not condone the behavior but Daniel was a friend of mine and regardless of what him and Alan were thinking Daniel is no longer with us.
The individuals may have not thought about the long term consequences of this action but now their families have to live with that fact that they will NEVER see their loved ones again. Think about how YOUR family would feel, regardless if you were at fault or not. They would be grieving like ALL of the victims' families are right now.
We are in no place to judge. Let Daniel and his family rest, they have so much more to deal with right now.
I agree with peeweecourt. We are in no place to judge. Let Daniel and his family rest, they do have alot to deal with right now.
Think about, if this was your family member that ended up losing their life due to something like this.
So please, let the family rest.
I think a lot of the anger directed at the riders by commenters here is due to the fact that their idiotic behavior seriously injured an innocent motorist and caused damage to another person's vehicle. I have seen stupid drivers on motorcycles and cars, but dumb car drivers have a lot more protection in case of an accident. I've had bikers right on my tail while I'm doing 85mph on the 95, and when I get out of their lane they pass me like I'm going backwards. If one of them loses control not much will be left of them.
My heart goes out to Mr Gonzalez's family, they lost a loved one thanks to his lack of better judgement, and I hope that Mr Faili has a fast recovery.
First off id like to say I happened to know the guy that has passed away because of his mistake and stupid decision to race his motorcycle with his friend. Daniel (DJ) was the most caring person I have ever met in my life. So what he wanted a little excitement in his life. It's better then him going out and wasting his life on drugs like half of this crappy excuse for a city.
I read these comments and all I see is stupidity and ignorance. What if that person on the bike was one of your loved ones. Do you not understand accidents happen? Do you have no time in your life to actually go out and do something rather then sit at home and rant on about how he deserved his death. No one deserves to die. Look at you, what if your children, or your parents, or your best friend, or just someone close to you doesn't wake up tomorrow? What would you do? How would you feel? Horrible I'd hope. Unless your just as cold hearted as your making yourself out to be. In fact it happens to be none of any ones business what happened to Dj. By the way all of you rude ignorant people are probably guilty yourself, speeding on an everyday basis. You are just as bad as Dj and his friend. Your just the lucky one that didn't wreck your car and eat the dirt. End this discussion now because it is disrespectful to the dead. You guys give human beings a horrible name.
Rest in peace Daniel ! I'm going to miss your genuine soul.
Hate talk radio is the cornerstone of the sick commentators that invest this website, hopefully we get a fairness doctrine so they can be silenced.
Racing, Speeding, Doing Wheelies
How was this an accident? It was stupidity, and negligence. Only acts of God are truly accidents. I hope the LVMPD films the scene and shows it to the children in adult bodies who think they're immortal and try the same stunts.
ojemnnylove,
You'll just have to ignore most of the ignorant posters on this newspapers website such as mred. None of them have a clue what it's like out in the real world because they've never had a job nor have they ever cared for anyone other than themselves.
They literally hate everything about this world simply because they lack the intellect necessary to understand whats going on around them.
I am very sorry for the loss for all family members involved. Everyone is at risk everyday when they step outside and either walk down the street or put their seatbelt on in a vehicle. No matter what you drive whether it be a motorcycle or a Semi, there will always be something out there that can hurt or kill everyone. If your tire blows out on the freeway, if you loose control you can flip and possibly seriously injure yourself. The blame doesn't fall on a motorcyclest, everyone has their moments where they think they are invincible, people do it every day when they are driving. If you are going 90-100 mph on the freeway then you are not only putting yourself at risk but everyone that is there on the freeway as well.
Amen ohjennylove. DJ is at peace now and everyone else needs to let that be as well so that his family can deal with this.
DJ will forever be missed and I can't wait to see him someday in Heaven.