2nd victim in Sunday carjacking dies at hospital

By Paul Takahashi

Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013 | 8:22 a.m.

A second victim from Sunday’s fatal carjacking has died, according to a University Medical Center official.

Felix Brandon Cruz, 31, died at UMC on Monday night. His cause of death will be released by the Clark County Coroner’s Office pending an autopsy.

Cruz was one of two men who jumped into the back of a 2009 Ford F-150 as it was being stolen from the Flamingo casino valet Sunday night, according to a Metro Police arrest report. The other man was California Highway Patrol officer Jesus Manual Magdaleno Jr., 33.

Cruz and Magdaleno were thrown from the truck when it collided with a sport utility vehicle and crashed into a traffic light pole at Flamingo Road and Valley View Boulevard, about a mile from the carjacking, police said.

Magdaleno was pronounced dead at the scene. Cruz suffered injuries, including blunt-force head trauma, police said.

James Robert Montgomery, 29, of Tustin, Calif., was arrested on counts of murder, robbery, battery and grand larceny of an automobile.

Montgomery, who was also sent to UMC, told police he had no recollection of the alleged carjacking and accident, according to the arrest report. He said he remembered being at the Flamingo but didn’t recall why he was there, according to the report.