According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, 19-year-old Ivan Pantoja-Lizarraga was driving under the influence of alcohol around 12:30 am when he stuck and killed 46-year-old Maria Sotelo, who was standing behind a Ford Ranger pickup truck.
Pantoja-Lizarraga told police he drank three or four 40 oz. beers and “hard liquor” before hitting and killing a woman with his car.
According to his arrest report, Pantoja-Lizarraga smelled of alcohol following the crash and exhibited other signs of intoxication, including bloodshot and watery eyes.
Police said Pantoja-Lizarraga’s vehicle, a 1999 Mercedes E320, struck Sotelo who was pronounced dead a short time later at University Medical Center. Pantoja-Lizarraga was arrested for drunken driving leading to death and failure to drive in the travel lane after failing several sobriety tests at the scene.
Pantoja-Lizarraga’s bail was set at $25,000 cash or $250,000 surety. Chief Deputy District Attorney L.J. O’Neale told Justice of the Peace William Klephart that the state has not yet filed formal charges because it is waiting on the results of a blood alcohol test.
This was the 42nd traffic-related fatality in Metro’s jurisdiction in 2011.
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Additional Information: Las Vegas Sun
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