Suspect in Henderson fatal DUI crash identified
An arrest report received by the Review-Journal on Wednesday identifies the drunken driving suspect in the death of a 68-year-old man last month in Henderson.
Nicholas Schwarz, 27, faces charges of DUI resulting in death and two misdemeanor charges of failure to maintain a lane and driving with a suspended license, court records show. The Henderson Police Department did not release Schwarz’s name after the crash on May 11, which resulted in the death of Ernest Gunter.
Officers were called about 3 p.m. to East Sunset Road and South Mountain Vista Street after a report that a pedestrian had been struck by a car, police have said. When officers arrived, they found Schwarz in the driver seat of a silver Chevrolet with severe front-end damage, according to his arrest report.
Police found Gunter “pinned under a boulder,” and the Henderson Fire Department pronounced him dead at the scene, the report said. The Clark County coroner’s office ruled Gunter’s death an accident due to multiple blunt force injuries
Schwarz had “red, bloodshot, watery eyes” with a “strong smell” of alcohol, the report said. His speech was slurred, he was having difficulty balancing and he was unable to answer questions about the crash.
Detectives determined Schwarz was driving east on Sunset when he stuck the curb and hit Gunter, who was in a “planter area” in front of a gas station and “appeared to have been standing or sitting near the bus stop,” the report said.
Schwarz was taken to St. Rose Dominican Hospital, Siena campus, where his blood was taken through a warrant about 5:10 and 6:10 p.m. The report did not indicate Schwarz’s blood alcohol level.
On May 15, Schwarz posted bond on a $50,000 bail, court records show. Conditions of his bail include refraining from drugs and alcohol, as well as being prohibited from driving.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.