Las Vegas driver told police she drank at party before deadly DUI crash

Stephanie Overton
·2 min read
2

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Henderson woman facing DUI-related charges after a deadly DUI crash told police she drank and smoked at a party before driving and did not know where she was, according to an arrest report obtained by 8 News Now.

On Monday, May 6, at around 12:15 a.m., officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to a collision at the intersection of Bermuda Road and East Erie Avenue.

According to police, the victim, identified as Shawn Smith, was driving south on Bermuda Road approaching the East Erie intersection when a driver, later identified as Katie Lucier-Fant, 30, rear-ended him at a high rate of speed.

An investigation showed that Lucier-Fant did not slow down or use due care as she approached the victim’s vehicle. Lucier-Fant’s vehicle traveled more than 280 feet after the collision. The victim’s vehicle traveled more than 400 feet after it was rear-ended, according to the report. Medical personnel took both Smith and Lucier-Fant to a hospital.

Hospital staff pronounced Smith dead shortly after 1 a.m. before he was resuscitated. Hospital staff later again pronounced him dead at 2:13 a.m.

When officers arrived, Lucier-Fant was still sitting in the driver’s seat, the report stated. Officers observed that she had bloodshot, watery eyes and said there was a strong odor of an “unknown intoxicating substance” coming from her breath and person.

Police spoke to Lucier-Fant while she was in the hospital. She was not able to stand or walk due to injuries sustained from the crash. Lucier-Fant admitted to officers that she drank and smoked before driving and told police she was returning home from a pool party, the report stated.

Lucier-Fant also told police that she did not know where she was, but admitted to driving and crashing her vehicle. The report stated that her speech was slow and slurred.

Lucier-Fant faces charges of DUI resulting in death, reckless driving resulting in death or serious bodily harm, and driving without a valid driver’s license. Her next court appearance is scheduled for May 13.

A booking photo of Lucier-Fant was not immediately available.

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