LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A crash involving a suspected car thief led to the death of a kidnapped passenger on Saturday, authorities confirmed.
Harold Allen, 29, faces charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, robbery, and grand larceny in connection with the incident. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), Allen allegedly confessed to trying to “beat the light” when his Hyundai Sonata struck a Toyota Sedona at Charleston Boulevard and Essex Drive.
Witnesses reported that the Hyundai collided violently with the Sedona before crashing into a light pole. Medical personnel transported both Allen and 17-year-old Benito Saragosa to University Medical Center (UMC), where Saragosa later succumbed to his injuries.
Saragosa's mother informed police that he was waiting in the car with the keys in the ignition while she was inside a Walmart. Surveillance footage reportedly shows Allen entering the Hyundai and speeding away from the parking lot prior to the collision.
LVMPD noted in their report that Allen did not attempt to brake or evade the Sedona before the crash, which pushed the vehicle into the intersection. Allen claimed to have fallen asleep in a friend's car and did not recall if anyone else was inside the Hyundai at the time of the incident.
Allen is currently held without bail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 28. The investigation remains active as authorities continue to gather details.