Brother of teen struck on North Las Vegas sidewalk speaks out

By Katie Crowther

CREATED Jan. 8, 2013

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  • It was a tragic start to 2013. Two teenagers walking home on a North Las Vegas sidewalk, were hit by a car, that had lost control. Video by ktnv.com

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North Las Vegas, NV  (KTNV) -- It was a tragic start to 2013. Two teenagers were walking home on a North Las Vegas sidewalk when they were struck by a driver who lost control of his car.

It happened on New Year's Day in the 6600 block of Gliding Eagle Road, near Centennial Parkway

Jesse Hill, 18, died from his injuries. His girlfriend, Anne-Marie Ricci, 16, is still in critical condition at University Medical Center.

Read More: Teen pedestrian dead, driver charged after crash in North Las Vegas

Anne-Marie's older brother, Robert, spoke with Action News about the long and difficult healing process ahead.

"She's definitely fighting and hanging in there," he says. "Whether it's movement of the limbs, or a slight opening of the eyelids. That's pretty much what we're working with right now. We hit rock bottom, and we can only go up from here. Those positive signs are something to hold on."

Robert considers Jesse a hero, for trying to block Anne-Marie from the main impact of the crash. He hopes this tragic accident serves as a wake up call for all drivers.

"The decisions we make on a daily basis can have such a huge impact on people we don't even know."

The driver of the car, Cristian Ivan Diaz, 19, was arrested and booked into the Las Vegas City Jail on counts of failure to stay in his travel lane, and failure to obtain a Nevada driver’s license within 30 days.

North Las Vegas police say a passenger in the car, Ricardo Daniel Velasquez, 18, got out of the vehicle and tried to destroy a small bag of marijuana. He was arrested on counts of possession of one ounce or less of marijuana and destruction of evidence.