Parents charged in crash that killed 1-year-old plead not guilty
Both parents charged in a high-speed crash that left their 1-year-old son dead pleaded not guilty Friday in Clark County District Court.
Lauren Prescia and Cameron Hubbard-Jones, both 23, were indicted Aug. 13 in connection with the death of their son and are accused of street racing in the July 12 crash at Rampart and Lake Mead boulevards.
The two appeared via teleconference before District Judge Douglas Herndon on Friday, but Prescia was not seen or heard on camera due to technical difficulties.
Prosecutors and court documents say Prescia drove drunk on July 12 around 7 p.m., and also had cocaine in her system. She was driving more than 120 mph when she lost control of her car, causing the wreck that took the life of the couple’s baby, Royce Jones, court records show.
Police arrested Hubbard-Jones days later, contending that he was street racing with Prescia in the moments leading up to the crash.
Prosecutor Frank LoGrippo said authorities obtained phone records tracking the couple throughout the day of the wreck, which showed the two were on a 10-minute call at the time Prescia’s 2020 Hyundai Sonata slammed into a pole.
Along with second-degree murder charges, both face reckless driving and child abuse charges.
Hubbard-Jones was previously convicted of battery with substantial bodily harm and battery constituting domestic violence for a 2018 assault against Prescia.
Police said Hubbard-Jones beat Prescia during an argument over him spending money at a strip club. A doctor told officers that Prescia “suffered a temporal fracture on the left side of her skull, a nasal fracture and various bruising across all around her face and body.”
Hubbard-Jones remains in custody at the Clark County Detention Center.
Prescia posted a $50,000 bail on July 21, court records show. Her bail has since been reset to $100,000, which she has since posted and she remained out of custody on Friday.
Prescia and Hubbard-Jones’ trial date is expected to be set on Tuesday.
Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @ByBrianaE on Twitter.
