LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The father of a teen who was killed when his motorbike hit a piece of wire on a bike trail last week is desperate for answers.
Police said the "suspicious nature" of the incident led them to call homicide detectives to investigate the 16-year-old boy's death.
Angel Naranjo was riding minibikes with his 19-year-old brother near Lake Mead Boulevard and Pecos Road on July 30 when his bike hit a cable tied to a pole near the bike path. When Angel's bike rode over the cable, police say it snapped up and "struck him in the neck."
Police initially said the cable was tied between a pole and a fence across the bike path. They've since said further investigation determined the cable was slack and resting on the ground, not strung taught across the pathway, when Angel's bike hit it.
The cable snapped up and hit him in the neck, knocking him off his bike, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In an updated media release earlier this week, LVMPD officials said evidence so far "points to this being a tragic and unfortunate accident."
Rudy Naranjo, Angel's father, tells Channel 13, "The theory that the cable was on the ground is B.S. because if it were, people would not have been hurt."
Rudy's other son was also injured in this incident and had to get surgery on his arm.
Valley auto dealer Jim Marsh has put up a $50,000 reward in this case, matched by the family. They are hopeful someone will come forward with information about the case.
This Friday, the family will hold a visitation for Angel from 4 to 9 p.m. at Palm Mortuary, with burial to follow on Saturday at 9 p.m.
