Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

How first responders acted quickly in handling victims of Strip tragedy

Fatal Strip Auto-Ped Accident

Steve Marcus

Las Vegas Metro Police take measurements after an auto-pedestrian crash on the Las Vegas Strip that killed one person and injured at least 30 others in Las Vegas Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015.

One Dead, 35 Injured in Strip Crash

Las Vegas Metro Police and crime scene analysts look over a sedan believed to have been involved in an auto-pedestrian crash on the Las Vegas Strip that killed one person and injured at least 30 others in Las Vegas Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015. Launch slideshow »

Lombardo Speaks on Strip Fatal Accident

Sheriff Joe Lombardo speaks during a news conference at Las Vegas Metro Police headquarters Monday, Dec. 21, 2015. Lombardo spoke on the fatal auto-pedestrian accident that killed one and injured over 30 people on the Las Vegas Strip Sunday night. A mugshot of suspect Lakeisha Holloway, 24, appears at right. Launch slideshow »

The three-hour beauty pageant was nearly finished.

Inside the Planet Hollywood theater, each of the three Miss Universe finalists explained why she would make the best global ambassador. Miss USA said she would lobby for equality between men and women. Miss Colombia said she would champion Latina women. Miss Philippines said she would increase HIV awareness.

They smiled widely, dressed in ball gowns, blissfully unaware of what was happening outside.

On the casino’s front sidewalk, another woman drove a 1996 Oldsmobile sedan into dozens of pedestrians. Bystanders screamed. Bodies flew. Good Samaritans ran to help.

And someone dialed 911. The time: 6:37 p.m. Sunday.

The teamwork that happened next — the culmination of training sessions, prior crisis experience and adrenaline — prevented a tragedy from becoming even worse.

“You can all imagine what it must have been like only 16 hours ago on our Las Vegas Strip with a 2,000-plus-pound vehicle ramming into 30 people,” Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said Monday morning. “I want to acknowledge and thank not only law enforcement, but also other first-responders for the incredible work they did.”

That effort started in a building four miles southwest of Planet Hollywood when a Metro Police dispatcher intercepted the first 911 call. The dispatcher notified the Clark County’s fire department, setting in motion a rapid response.

The emergency, which would later be classified as a mass-casualty incident, was labeled a “29 Delta” — a high-severity traffic incident in the 3600 block of Las Vegas Boulevard South.

Clark County firefighters from Station No. 32 — tucked into CityCenter around the corner — received notice a minute later. So did American Medical Response crews.

Firetrucks and ambulances raced to the scene.

The first Metro Police officer arrived at 6:41 p.m.

Meanwhile, a Planet Hollywood security officer alerted a MedicWest emergency medical technician stationed at the Miss Universe pageant. She ran outside to aid the victims.

Just before 6:45 p.m., Katie Ryan’s phone rang as she puttered around her southern valley home, completing chores. It was the on-duty administrator at University Medical Center.

“We have a mass casualty,” he told Ryan, director of emergency services at UMC. “We’re getting at least 20 patients.”

Ryan jumped in her car and headed north on Interstate 15, staying in the left lanes to avoid congested traffic near the Flamingo Road off-ramp, which the Nevada Highway Patrol had closed shortly after 7 p.m. No traffic could enter the eastbound lanes of Flamingo Road leading to Las Vegas Boulevard, which was cluttered with the flashing lights of emergency vehicles.

What will UMC staff need? she wondered.

How chaotic will it be?

Jeff Buchanan, Clark County’s deputy fire chief, considered similar questions as he drove to the scene, where a fire battalion chief and police lieutenant were working together to command the efforts. He hoped his crews were safe, plentiful and making progress transporting victims to the hospitals.

By the time Ryan arrived at UMC a little after 7:15 p.m., she knew the answer to Buchanan’s third hope: The hospital had received 17 injured people. They had arrived with broken bones, bruises, head injuries — and a considerable amount of shock.

Ryan asked her charge nurse how she could help. She expected a laundry list of needs given the patient volume.

Instead, the charge nurse showed her a list of patients and pointed to family members already assembling in the trauma center. Housekeeping had stopped by with more blankets. Dayside employees had stuck around longer to provide an extra hand. A nurse fluent in French was translating for victims’ loved ones. And the registration desk had hurriedly entered patient information into the computer system.

“I was just so proud of my team,” said Ryan, who later racked her brain for how they could have done better but came up empty. “I hate to say that because there are always opportunities for improvement.”

By 8:45 p.m., police had reported the first and — so far only — death resulting from the incident. On Monday morning, the Clark County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as 32-year-old Jessica Valenzuela, from Buckeye, Ariz. More than 30 other pedestrians were hurt, including three who suffered critical head injuries.

The woman police allege drove the Oldsmobile sedan was booked into the Clark County Detention Center late Sunday night. Police have identified her as 24-year-old Lakeisha Holloway, originally from Oregon, who traveled to Las Vegas a week earlier.

Her 3-year-old daughter, who was in the backseat of the car, was placed in protective custody at Child Haven. Police said the family had been living in the vehicle, parking at various Las Vegas garages.

They eventually wound up on the Las Vegas Strip — a place Holloway “didn’t want to be,” according to the arrest report. Investigators asked her why she allegedly drove onto the sidewalk, striking pedestrians.

Holloway, the report stated, wouldn’t explain what happened.

Jackie Valley can be reached at 702-948-7813 or [email protected]. Follow Jackie Valley on Twitter at twitter.com/jackievalley.

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