Las Vegas family calls for change after teen hit, killed by truck

Sasha Loftis
·2 min read
16

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A Las Vegas family is calling for change after a 17-year-old boy was hit and killed by a truck in the east valley on Monday night, according to police.

Teen faces reckless driving charge following crash that killed 17-year-old crossing street

“I miss him so much,” Ray Heath said of his son, Devin Heath.

Ray and his family shared with 8 News Now what they’ll miss most about the teenager, just days after he suddenly lost his life.

“He was just a social butterfly,” Ray said of Devin. “He made friends everywhere he went.”

According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, Devin was crossing Tree Line Drive, near Sahara Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard around 9:30 p.m. Monday, when he was hit by a Chevrolet Silverado truck.

<em>According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, Devin was crossing Tree Line Drive, near Sahara Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard around 9:30 p.m. Monday, when he was hit by a Chevrolet Silverado truck. (Credit: Ray Heath) </em>
According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, Devin was crossing Tree Line Drive, near Sahara Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard around 9:30 p.m. Monday, when he was hit by a Chevrolet Silverado truck. (Credit: Ray Heath)

Arrest records show 18-year-old Jesus Barraza was behind the wheel, driving over 70 miles per hour, more than double the speed limit at the time of the crash.

Devin was taken to Sunrise Hospital but died shortly after he was hit, according to law enforcement.

Ray described the moment he saw the scene.

“They had my son on the ground trying to do CPR, trying to revive him,” he recalled. “I ran up immediately, I grabbed his head, I started screaming his name.”

<em>According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, 17-year-old Devin Heath was crossing Tree Line Drive, near Sahara Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard around 9:30 p.m. Monday, when he was hit by a Chevrolet Silverado truck. (Credit: Ray Heath)</em>
According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, 17-year-old Devin Heath was crossing Tree Line Drive, near Sahara Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard around 9:30 p.m. Monday, when he was hit by a Chevrolet Silverado truck. (Credit: Ray Heath)

Ray said he, Devin’s mother, and their family are just starting to come to terms with what happened.

“You never think it’s going to happen to you,” Ray said.

They told 8 News Now they hope Devin’s story acts as a catalyst for what they called much-needed traffic changes.

<em>According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, Devin was crossing Tree Line Drive, near Sahara Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard around 9:30 p.m. Monday, when he was hit by a Chevrolet Silverado truck. (KLAS)</em>
According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, Devin was crossing Tree Line Drive, near Sahara Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard around 9:30 p.m. Monday, when he was hit by a Chevrolet Silverado truck. (KLAS)

“I feel like they should put speed bumps or something over here,” Ray said of the area where Devin was hit. “Or dips or something like that, because there are so many children.”

They said they are pleading with people in the community to slow down, so something so horrible doesn’t happen to anyone else.

“They need to do something,” Ray concluded. “Something needs to happen.’

Barraza is facing a felony charge of reckless driving resulting in death.

<em>Jesus Barraza,18, faces reckless driving charges in a fatal crash. (LVMPD)</em>
Jesus Barraza,18, faces reckless driving charges in a fatal crash. (LVMPD)

Documents show he made his initial appearance in court Tuesday and posted bail. He is due to face a judge again on April 23.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to assist the Heath family at this time.

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