Gary Dean Robinson, driver in Nevada crash that killed 9, had historical past of dashing

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — A driver who police say sped by means of a crimson gentle earlier than crashing his sports activities automotive right into a minivan, killing himself, his passenger and 7 members of a North Las Vegas household, had a historical past of dashing and prior legal convictions for drug and battery offenses, authorities stated Monday.

A Nationwide Transportation Security Board member, Thomas Chapman, advised reporters that federal crash investigators will conduct what he known as a “parallel” investigation to at least one being carried out by North Las Vegas police, in search of “broader issues of safety of nationwide significance.”

“Our mission is to know not simply what occurred, however why it occurred,” Chapman stated, “and to suggest modifications to stop it from occurring once more.”

North Las Vegas police Officer Alexander Cuevas confirmed the driving force who precipitated the crash, Gary Dean Robinson, 59, of North Las Vegas, had a previous historical past of visitors and legal offenses.

Robinson pleaded responsible simply 9 days earlier than Saturday’s lethal crash to dashing in Las Vegas in December and was fined $150, the Las Vegas Overview-Journal reported, citing courtroom paperwork.

Robinson additionally was ticketed for dashing by Las Vegas police final August; by North Las Vegas police thrice between November 2020 and February 2021; and by Henderson police as soon as in 2017, the Overview-Journal discovered.

Robinson had a state jail document after pleading responsible in 2004 to felony cocaine possession and violating phrases of his probation, and he had a 2009 misdemeanor conviction for battery on a courtroom bailiff, courtroom information confirmed.

A person who recognized himself as Robinson’s son, Gary Robinson Jr., declined to remark throughout a phone name Monday from The Related Press.

On Saturday, in keeping with police, Robinson’s maroon Dodge Challenger raced at greater than 100 mph (161 kph) by means of a crimson visitors sign at a busy crossroad, slamming right into a Toyota Sienna minivan containing seven members of the family and triggering chain-reaction crashes involving three different autos together with a Ford Fusion during which a 31-year-old girl was critically injured.

In all, 15 individuals had been concerned within the wrecks, Cuevas stated.

It might take as much as 4 weeks for investigators to study from blood toxicology checks if Robinson was impaired by medication or alcohol on the time of the mid-afternoon crash, stated Dan Kulin, spokesman for Clark County Coroner Melanie Rouse.

Killed within the minivan had been the driving force, Jose Zacarias-Caldera, 35; and passengers David Mejia-Barrera, 25; Gabriel Mejia-Barrera, 23; Bryan Axel Zacarias, 15; Lluvia Daylenn Zacarias, 13; Adrian Zacarias, 10; and Fernando Yeshua Mejia, 5. They lived in North Las Vegas, Rouse reported.

“It was all one household,” stated North Las Vegas Metropolis Councilman Isaac Barron, a highschool trainer who stated his college students grew up with Bryan Zacarias and characterised him as a preferred and humorous classmate.

Barron stated plans had been being made for a neighborhood memorial at a time to be introduced.

“It’s a tough time now,” stated Councilwoman Pamela Goynes-Brown, who stated she knew members of the Zacarias household. “Simply preserve everybody in your ideas and prayers.”

Rouse on Monday recognized the passenger who died in Robinson’s wrecked automotive as Tanaga Ravel Miller, 46, of North Las Vegas.

A web-based GoFundMe fundraiser launched in Spanish by Erlinda Zacarias recognized the individuals killed within the minivan as her household and stated she had no phrases to explain the ache and struggling she and her husband had been bearing. The account confirmed some 4,000 donors contributed greater than $175,000 as of Monday afternoon.

Chapman stated the security board might give attention to what he known as “a complete technique to get rid of speed-related crashes.”

“Tragedies corresponding to this compel us to judge the potential for bettering security by incorporating speed-limiting expertise in all autos,” the security board member advised reporters, together with high-performance sports activities automobiles.