LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — For the second time in a week, Las Vegas Police are investigating a fatal crash along Lake Mead Boulevard, prompting an urgent plea from officers to drivers.
Police shut down down Lake Mead near Pecos Saturday afternoon to investigate their ninth traffic related fatality in 2019.
Investigators says a white 2004 SUV pulled in front of a motorcycle heading east along Lake Mead killing the 59-year-old male driver and leaving the 60-year-old female passenger seriously injured.
This fatal crash happening just blocks away from a fatal crash last weekend along Lake Mead near Lamb, killing a 49-year-old female and injuring a nine-year-old passenger.
“I can tell you on a street like Lake Mead, it’s unforgiving."
These are just a few of the near dozen traffic related fatalities happening across the Las Vegas valley this year, prompting a desperate plea from law enforcement.
“It’s a communities responsibility to drive safely and defensively, all of these collisions that were having that are fatal are related to things that are preventable," says Las Vegas Police Lt. Greg Munson.
Munson says things like distracted driving, speeding and driving under the influence all factors in fatal crashes time and time again.
“They are not numbers, they’re human beings with families and people who love them”
Traffic safety advocate Erin Breen of UNLV’s Vulnerable Road User’s Project also says enough is enough.
“People are outraged about homicides, but they’re not outraged about people dying on a street and they should be," says Breen.
What’s the solution?
Breen says to open up discussions at home, encourage safe driving practices and also tell your loved ones who walk, ride a bicycle or motorcycle to be on the defense as well.
“This is our quality of life we’re talking about, and until we start understanding that the way that we building roads and travel on them has everything to do with surviving or not, we’re going to keep having this conversation,” says Breen.
The family has identified the motorcyclist as Chris Rongey. Marsha Rongey is still recovering from the crash. They have set up a GoFundMe.
