LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As we get ready to turn the calendar to June, we are firmly in the "100 Deadliest Days" — that's the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, which is historically the deadliest time for drivers and pedestrians on Southern Nevada roads.
Just a week ago, a suspected DUI crash near Downtown Las Vegas killed a local father of three while he was on his way to work.
On the morning of Saturday May 23, 49-year-old Juan Santana was driving his pickup truck when he was hit and killed by a suspected drunk driver going nearly 100 miles per hour at the intersection of Washington and Bruce.
WATCH | Community remembers man killed in Memorial Day Weekend suspected DUI crash
Now, a week later, Juan's community came together in East Las Vegas to celebrate his life with a fundraiser for his family.
Ernesto Sotelo worked with Juan Santana in construction for more than a decade.
"He was a very dedicated guy, a very responsible father and worker," Ernesto said. "He was like my brother — after work we would always hang out at his house or my house, and our families were very close."
Ernesto was in their company's warehouse a week ago, waiting for Juan to arrive, devastated when he found out his close friend was killed in a suspected DUI crash.
"You know, everybody's been involved in an accident — you never want to know somebody who had passed," Ernesto said. "It's hard for everybody, because you never know when it's your [last day]."
Juan's friends and family donated their time Saturday morning to celebrate his memory with food, music and community.
"In Hispanic tradition we call it 'kermés,'" Ernesto said. "It's a fundraiser — we sell food and all the funds go directly to the family.
A GoFundMe fundraiser is also active for the family, which you can find by clicking here.
Juan Santana's death came just one day after police and traffic safety advocates gathered to talk about the "100 Deadly Days of Summer" in a press conference at University Medical Center.
"All of these deaths on the road are very preventable, but it takes all of us," said Las Vegas Metro Police Captain Jarvis Dudley, who oversees the department's Traffic Bureau. "If we all take the time to think about other people, to slow down and arrive alive, we can all work together to bring this epidemic of deaths on our roads to an end."
That's exactly what Juan Santana's friends and family hope for too, especially after a big turnout at his memorial fundraiser on Saturday.
"I know he impacted a lot [of people], because, as you can see, we just started and we're almost full," Ernesto Sotelo said. "You don't have to explain, this says everything."
Police say the driver accused of killing Juan Santana, 21-year-old Maria Gonsalez, was going nearly 100 miles per hour in her Ford Mustang before hitting Juan's truck, and detectives noticed a bottle of tequila in her car.
Gonsalez is now facing several charges including DUI resulting in death and reckless driving, which she pleaded not guilty to earlier this week. An arrest report shows Gonsalez has a prior vehicular manslaughter charge dating back to 2023.
Crime
Suspected impaired driver in fatal crash had prior vehicular manslaughter charge
Maria Gonsalez is due back in court on June 10.
As we head into the rest of the summer, Juan Santana's friends and family and law enforcement urge you to be safe behind the wheel to prevent another tragedy on our roads.
At Channel 13, we're fighting for safer streets — and we want to hear your stories. You can share them with us at ktnv.com/letstalk, or by clicking on the banner below.
