Local News

Actions

Fatal crash suspect tests positive

Posted at 5:19 PM, Dec 30, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-30 20:19:41-05

The woman accused of crashing into dozens of people on the Las Vegas Strip tested positive for marijuana and marijuana metabolites, according to Las Vegas police.

“There is no reasonable explanation or excuse for the actions of this defendant,” said Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson. “The results of the toxicology test do not change the initial charges filed against Ms. Holloway.”

Lakeisha Holloway, 24, is accused of killing one and injuring 36 people when she drove into people twice near the Paris hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip on Dec. 20.

According to toxicology results, Holloway had 3.5 nanograms of marijuana in her system per mililiter of blood. That is above the 2 nanogram Nevada limit. As for marijuana metabolites in her system, which show more long-term use, results showed 23.6 nanograms of pot per mililiter of blood.

But it still doesn't prove her driving was affected.

"If you drink an ounce of alcohol, you're under the influence of alcohol. If you drink 10 ounces of alcohol, you're drunk," said Dr. Dale Carrison, University Medical Center chief physician. "So at what level, it has to be determined scientifically, at what level you're clearly impaired. And nobody can yet decide exactly what that level is" for marijuana.

Holloway told police that she was tired because she had been living in her car prior to the incident and was not able to rest properly. Her 3-year-old daughter was with her at the time of the incident.

Jessica Valenzuela, a 32-year-old woman from Buckeye, Arizona, was killed. The injured people included tourists from Colorado, Florida, Mexico, and Canada.

Holloway is being charged with murder, attempted murder, and child endangerment. 

The next court date scheduled for this case is a status check at 8 a.m. on Jan. 20, 2016.