Driver in fatal Las Vegas crash had marijuana in his system
A Las Vegas man who caused a crash that killed him and three others in December had marijuana in his system, the Clark County coroner’s office has concluded.
Tacuma Wesley, 38, was one of the four people killed in the Dec. 26 crash on Desert Inn Road at Durango Drive. Coroner John Fudenberg said Thursday that a subsequent toxicology test on Wesley showed the presence of marijuana.
Fudenberg said post-mortem testing for marijuana is irrelevant, however, when it comes to discerning whether a driver was in violation of legal limits for marijuana.
”When you talk about decedents, the post-mortem testing for cannabanoids does not provide an accurate quantification,” Fudenberg said. “Therefore the levels in decedents are irrelevant in reference to legal limits.”
Authorities said Wesley was driving a Mazda 6 east on Desert Inn Road at an “excessive rate of speed,” approaching Durango Drive, when he hit the center median west of the intersection. He rear-ended a 2017 Dodge Journey with five people inside.
Three generations of women from one family — Donna Martinez, 48; her daughter, 29-year-old Amanda Martinez; and granddaughter, 4-year-old Layla Martinez-White — were killed.
Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0390. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.
