Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Coroner IDs woman killed in crash with stolen truck

0705FatalTruckPhoto01

Steve Marcus

A Metro Police crime scene analyst takes a photo as police investigate a fatal accident involving a stolen truck on Fort Apache Road near Charleston Boulevard Wednesday, July 5, 2017.

Oriana Leausa

Oriana Leausa

A woman killed last week when a stolen pickup truck fleeing police slammed into her car was identified today as Deborah A. Rosewall, 54, of Las Vegas, authorities said.

Rosewall died of multiple injuries sustained in the crash on Wednesday, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Clark County Coroner’s Office.

The driver of the pickup, Oriana Leausa, 26, was being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center on counts DUI, possession of a stolen vehicle, conspiracy of vehicle theft, disobeying a peace officer and endangering other people or property, jail and court records show.

According to Metro Police, Leausa and a still unidentified man stole the truck Wednesday morning, and the man later stole a BMW sedan.

Police spotted the pickup Wednesday afternoon and tried to stop it in a parking lot at Fort Apache Road and Sahara Avenue, but the vehicle took off, ramming a police car, Metro said.

Police chased the truck north on Fort Apache but lost sight of it before it crossed onto the wrong side of the road near Charleston Boulevard, colliding with the Toyota Camry that Rosewall was driving and another car, police said.

Rosewall died at the scene, police said.

Leausa was taken unconscious to University Medical Center, where she was treated and later released into police custody, Metro said. She told investigators she had no recollection of the incident, police said.

No other arrests have been made, police said.