Motorcyclist killed in collision with van identified

By Jackie Valley

Monday, March 28, 2011 | 9:35 a.m.

A 24-year-old man killed Friday night when his motorcycle collided with a van in North Las Vegas has been identified as Christopher Pugh, according to the Clark County Coroner's Office.

Pugh, a North Las Vegas resident, died of blunt impact injuries to the torso after he was ejected from the motorcycle, the coroner said.

Authorities said a preliminary investigation indicates that at about 10:30 p.m., Pugh was riding a 2003 Suzuki motorcycle northbound on Decatur Boulevard while a 2000 Nissan Quest van was southbound on Decatur. At the intersection of Casa Bonita Drive, police said the van made a left turn in front of the motorcycle.

As the van turned left, the motorcycle struck the right side of the van. Pugh was ejected and thrown over the van, landing 41 feet away from the site of the collision, police said.

The driver of the van, a 21-year-old Las Vegas man, wasn’t injured. Pugh was taken to University Medical Center’s trauma unit in critical condition, where he later died from his injuries, police said.

Investigators said prescription drugs on the part of the van driver, who has not been identified, and excessive speed on the part of the motorcycle might be factors in the collision. The driver of the van submitted to a blood test to determine the possible involvement of alcohol or drugs.

Charges are pending against the driver of the van, police said. This was the first fatal crash of the year in North Las Vegas.