Man held without bail in crash that killed teen driver in Las Vegas
Relatives of Jaelan Fajardo burst into tears Monday as a judge ordered no bail for a DUI suspect accused in the 16-year-old boy’s death.
They rushed out of the courtroom soon after, carrying a poster-sized portrait of the teen, embracing each other, wiping their eyes and speaking briefly with reporters.
Fajardo’s older sister, Alani, said members of the family wished to thank the community for thinking of them and praying for them. She then was overcome by emotion.
Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Suzan Baucum called 47-year-old David Fensch, who has several previous DUI convictions, “an absolute true danger to the Clark County community.”
Fajardo was killed on his way to school Thursday when Fensch’s Chevy Trailblazer plowed into the back of Fajardo’s Honda Accord while the teen was stopped at a red light near Durango Drive and Farm Road.
An arrest report obtained Monday by the Las Vegas Review-Journal said Fensch admitted at the scene of the wreck that he had taken Xanax and consumed “four drinks” of Captain Morgan rum the night before. He also said he was coming from Bally’s and did not remember the crash itself.
The report noted that Fensch had slurred speech, had trouble keeping his eyes open and had a “strong odor” of alcohol on his breath.
On Friday, hundreds attended a candlelight vigil at Shadow Ridge High School, where friends said the 10th-grader strived for perfect grades.
A GoFundMe account set up for Fajardo’s family Thursday night had raised more than $29,700 as of Monday afternoon.
Fensch faces one count of vehicular homicide, according to online jail records. That charge is reserved for cases in which the driver is suspected of being under the influence and has at least three prior DUI convictions.
Court records show that in March 2014 Fensch completed all requirements of a DUI court program after facing charges in 2011 for his second local DUI offense.
Fensch also had four prior DUI convictions out of Michigan — from 2003 and 2008, according to police reports.
Authorities were awaiting blood alcohol level test results, prosecutor Eric Bauman told the judge on Monday.
Fensch “is looking at spending the rest of his natural life behind bars,” Bauman added.
Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.
