Mark Kline
Published Friday, Feb. 14, 2020 | 5:11 p.m.
Updated Friday, Feb. 14, 2020 | 10:51 p.m.
Two young siblings moving through a flashing crosswalk near a North Las Vegas school Friday afternoon were hospitalized in “very critical” condition after they were struck by a pickup truck driven by a distracted motorist, according to city police.
After a preliminary investigation, the driver, Mark Kline, 47, was jailed on distracted-driving-related counts, said North Las Vegas Police Officer Eric Leavitt, noting more severe charges could apply if either child dies.
The students — a 9-year-old girl, and a boy, 12 — remained at University Medical Center, where their medical prognosis hadn’t improved, Leavitt said Friday night. They were accompanied by family at the hospital.
The crash occurred about 3:30 p.m. on Losee Road and Lone Mountain Road, near Somerset Academy, which had just let out, Leavitt said. The siblings and other schoolchildren were crossing when the black Dodge Ram pickup, which was heading east, ran through the signal, Leavitt said.
Officers had drawn blood samples to test for impairment, Leavitt said. Speed, which is set at 35 mph — 25 mph when schoolchildren are present — did not appear to be a factor, Leavitt said.
Kline was booked at the Las Vegas city jail on one count each of failure to maintain a lane, failure to give full time and attention to driving, and two counts of failure to use due care around pedestrians, police said in a news release.
