A year after Kenny Lee’s fatal crash, authorities have yet to release records

Saturday marked one year since Kenny Lee was killed in a crash in Northern Nevada, but authorities have refused to release any records related to the case.

Lee was the chief executive officer of the popular store chain Lee’s Discount Liquor. His death came less than three months after his father and founder of the liquor empire, Hae Un Lee, died from cancer at 79.

Lee, 53, was driving near mile marker 24 on U.S. Highway 93, between Ely and West Wendover, around 10:25 a.m. Nov. 19 when he veered into oncoming traffic, sideswiping a pickup truck, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol.

He was the only occupant in the minivan and was not wearing a seat belt, authorities said at the time.

The Review-Journal requested the crash report and audio and video from the crash multiple times, including Nov. 22, 2021, Feb. 6 and Thursday, but Nevada State Police, which oversees the Highway Patrol, continued to delay fulfillment of the report.

A spokesperson for NHP Northern Command said the department had closed the case, but they could not release information without approval from the Highway Patrol administration.

The Review-Journal requested the autopsy and toxicology report at least five times from the Elko County medical examiner and coroner’s office over the last year, but those documents had not been released as of Friday either.

In Clark County, spokesman Erik Pappa said that in 90 percent of cases handled by the Clark County coroner’s office, an autopsy and toxicology report is available within 90 days.

“Most are done sooner,” Pappa added.

Authorities did not provide explanations on why the records related to this crash were not completed or available a year later.

Kenny Lee was a lifelong Las Vegas resident who loved the Golden Knights and philanthropically supported Heroes in the Rough, which helps disabled veterans by offering sporting activities and mentorship in the Las Vegas Valley.

“There is not a charitable event that anyone could ever go to where the Lee family and Lee’s Liquor was not represented,” Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said at Lee’s funeral last year. “They are one of the most generous, giving, philanthropic families in our entire state. I know that Kenny, his dad, and his family loves each and every one of you.”

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.