Report: Dodge driver was racing Corvette before crash that killed 2
By ELAINE EMERSON
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LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KVVU) — Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said two cars were street racing before a crash that killed two people.
Javoni Tavizon Monarrez was booked on reckless driving charges on June 14, three weeks after a deadly crash near Flamingo and Jones that killed Jason Alexander Qahhaar and Priscilla Rebecca Velasquez. The two died after a May 24 crash where a Corvette was traveling at a high-rate of speed before hitting a pole.
According to an arrest report, surveillance video initially showed the Corvette driving at a high rate of speed approaching intersection. The driver lost control of car and hit a power pole before hitting a fence. Velasquez, the registered owner of the car, was in the passenger seat and was pronounced dead on scene. Qahhaar, who was driving the vehicle, was ejected and taken to University Medical Center for treatment before he died.
Police estimate the Corvette was going approximately 140 mph five seconds prior to the crash due to car airbag data.
Surveillance video later showed that two minutes before the crash, the Corvette and a silver 2022 Dodge Charger were seen at a nearby intersection, an arrest report said. LVMPD used Google Earth and surveillance video to determine how fast the cars were going.
The Corvette was going about 88 mph and Dodge was going about 77 mph in a 45 mph zone, the report said. At another point, the Corvette went about 106 mph and the Dodge went 88 mph.
“Due to the fact both the Corvette and the Dodge were seen on video within close proximity of each other in all three video points, it also proves the speeds had to be similar and indicative of an unauthorized speed contest,” police said in an arrest report. Witnesses also told police that they thought the two cars were racing.
Police later identified the Dodge driver as Monarrez. Police said Monarrez worked at the same business as Velasquez and Qahhaar.
Monarrez said he was at a hookah lounge celebrating a birthday with coworkers near Tropicana and Jones. Monarrez claimed he didn’t see the crash involving his coworkers, the report said. When police told Monarrez they had video of him racing, he said “he must be guilty if we have video,” but also said he didn’t remember racing the Corvette, the arrest report said.
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