Teacher identified as driver in Sunday morning accident that critically injured teen

By Aida Ahmed

Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012 | 12:27 p.m.

The suspect arrested in connection with drunken driving after an accident early Sunday critically injured a teenager in the western valley has been identified as a Clark County School District teacher.

Noel Lardeo, 26, is a first-grade teacher at Roger Bryan Elementary School, School District officials confirmed today.

Metro Police said it appeared Lardeo was driving a 2005 Acura TSX west on Spring Mountain Road, west of El Camino Road, at 5:08 a.m. when she failed to maintain her travel lane and drove off the right side of the road.

The Acura collided with a bus shelter and struck a 15-year-old boy waiting nearby, police said.

The boy was transported to University Medical Center’s trauma unit in critical condition. Lardeo and her passenger, 36-year-old Artemio Rios, did not report injuries, police said.

Lardeo allegedly failed a standard field sobriety test and was arrested. Charges include one count of DUI-alcohol resulting in substantial bodily harm, one count of failure to stop at an intersection, one count of no registration in vehicle, two counts of no driver’s license in possession and one count of open container in vehicle while driving, according to Clark County Detention Center records.

Clark County School District spokesman Michael Rodriguez said Lardeo has been with the school district since January 2011. As of Tuesday, Lardeo is still employed by the district. She is not being paid, however, during her detention, Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said any inappropriate behavior by school district staff outside the school environment is subject to disciplinary action ranging from being written up to termination. He said a felony conviction was grounds for dismissal.

“Anytime there is an allegation, we wait to see where the investigation goes,” said Rodriguez.

Jail records indicate Lardeo is being held without bail on the DUI charge.