Jackpot winner injured, sister killed in crash

Sun reporters Kim Smith and Keith Paul contributed to this report.

The 45-year-old sister of a woman who hit a record $35 million Megabucks slot jackpot in January died of a broken neck in Saturday night's chain-reaction auto accident in southeast Las Vegas, the Clark County Coroner said today.

Coroner Ron Flud also said today that based on the autopsy report he received from the medical examiner and based on his experience investigating these kind of accidents, Lela Anne Jay "could have survived the accident if she had been wearing her seat belt."

Jay is the sister of 37-year-old Cynthia Jay-Brennan, a former Monte Carlo hotel-casino cocktail waitress who gained international attention on Jan. 26 when she hit a Megabucks progressive dollar slot machine at the Desert Inn for $35 million.

Jay-Brennan, who was wearing her seat belt while driving her 1999 Chevrolet Camaro in which her unbelted sister was a passenger, remained in serious condition today at the University Medical Center, where she was taken following the 10:15 p.m. five-car accident at Boulder Highway and Indios Avenue. She reportedly suffered serious leg injuries.

Five others suffered injuries that police termed minor to moderate.

Police arrested Las Vegan Clark Morse, 57, who has three convictions for drunken driving and an arrest record for driving under the influence dating back 19 years. He was charged with felony driving under the influence after he fled the scene, police said.

The others involved in the accident were identified as Nita Reinhard, 42, of Las Vegas, who was driving a 1990 Buick and suffered moderate injuries; Willie Harden, 47, of Las Vegas, who was driving a 1991 Ford and suffered minor injuries; Jeffrey Casale, 30, of Las Vegas, who was driving a 1996 Acura and was uninjured; Joseph Barton, 45, of Las Vegas, a passenger in the Ford, who suffered minor injuries; and Bill Miller, 44, of Las Vegas, a passenger in the Acura, who suffered minor injuries.

The accident occurred when a 1997 Ford Explorer driven by Morse failed to stop at a red light as it traveled south on Boulder Highway, Metro Police said. Four cars were stopped for the light in the left travel lane, police said.

The Explorer rear-ended Jay-Brennan's Camaro, starting a chain reaction of fenders smashing into bumpers until all four cars stopped at the light were involved in the accident, police said.

Jay was pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver of the Explorer fled before police arrived, witnesses said.

Police later arrested Morse a short distance from the accident. He suffered minor injuries, police said.

According to District Court records, Morse pleaded guilty to a driving under the influence charge in January 1998 and had his license revoked. He also was convicted of driving while intoxicated in June 1995 and in September 1996, according to District Court records.

Morse has drunken driving and other arrests dating to 1981, when Metro Police arrested him on driving under the influence charges, according to police records.

Morse was also arrested in 1982, 1985, 1988 and 1994 by Metro on either driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated charges. He was also charged in 1982 with driving without insurance.

In 1984 he was charged with obstructing a police officer and driving on a revoked or suspended license and in 1986 he was arrested on disorderly conduct charges, according to police records.

The accident was the 16th traffic fatality in Metro's jurisdiction this year.

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