Suspect in fatal Thanksgiving DUI crash nearly twice legal limit
A 27-year-old Las Vegas man had nearly twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system when he crashed on Thanksgiving and killed a mother of three, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
Nathaniel Postelle, a convicted felon, faced a judge on charges of DUI resulting in death and possession of a controlled substance in connection with the crash that killed 32-year-old Monique Prado.
Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Cynthia Cruz ordered Postelle, who remained in custody, not to drive should he post $250,000 bail.
Police said Postelle ran a red light on westbound Russell Road at the intersection with Durango Drive, slamming into the driver’s side of Prado’s Nissan Sentra.
Prado, a Victorville, California, hairstylist and mother of three who was in town for Thanksgiving, died at the scene. Her 12-year-old daughter, Emma Sarmiento, was hospitalized after the crash with minor injuries.
The first two officers to arrive at the crash site found Postelle sitting on the curb, nursing a head injury. His breath smelled of an alcohol beverage, his eyes were bloodshot and his body swayed while he spoke to the officers, according to the report.
Postelle said he had consumed one beer around 3 a.m. at a friend’s house and had slept “a while” before getting behind the wheel, the report states.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Eric Bauman said that Postelle’s blood alcohol level was recorded at 0.154 percent — nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent — less than two hours after the wreck. Another blood test taken later showed his blood alcohol level at 0.141 percent.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.
