IN BRIEF

Police: Man dies in crash with drunken driver

An 18-year-old man who was driving under the influence lost control of his vehicle and collided with a van on Nellis Boulevard near Charleston Boulevard on Saturday night, killing a 39-year-old man, Las Vegas police said.

Carlos Rodriguez-Ortez was driving a 1997 Ford Expedition south on Nellis when the vehicle swerved across three lanes of traffic, jumped a center median and headed into oncoming traffic, police said.

He collided with a 1995 Ford van traveling north on Nellis, police said.

The driver of the van, Gregory Lewis of Las Vegas, was taken to University Medical Center but was later pronounced dead, police said. Lewis’ passenger, 37-year-old Jenifer Koerschgen-Lewis, suffered moderate injuries. She was treated and released from the hospital.

Police booked Rodriguez-Ortez into the county jail on two counts of felony driving under the influence.

INFORMATION SOUGHT

Boy dies of injuries from hit-and-run incident

A 2-year-old boy injured in a hit-and-run accident on Sahara Avenue near Walnut Road late Friday night died the next day.

Las Vegas police said a family of eight had just gotten off a Citizens Area Transit bus on Sahara about 11:50 p.m. Friday and were putting another child in a stroller when the 2-year-old wandered into the roadway.

A vehicle traveling east hit the toddler. The driver then fled east on Sahara. Authorities took the boy to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center but he died about 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Police described the vehicle as dark gray with heavily tinted windows, possibly a Dodge Stratus.

Anyone with information about the accident was asked to call police at 828-3128 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

DRIVER MIGHT FACE CHARGES

Injured passenger leaves part of scalp at scene

Police in Costa Mesa, Calif., investigating a possible DUI case were looking for a male passenger who left behind part of his scalp.

Authorities said a van driven by a 16-year-old girl clipped a truck shortly after 2:30 a.m. Saturday. The truck driver was not injured.

The van’s male passenger fled after he and a female passenger pulled the teen driver to safety.

“He ran away, leaving part of his scalp inside,” police Lt. Dale Birney said. “Right now the driver is facing a misdemeanor DUI charge because the injuries to the female passenger were minor.”

That could change if the missing scalp owner is found.

“If a passenger suffers a serious injury when you’re driving under the influence and crash,” Birney said, “that can result in a felony. Losing part of your scalp qualifies as a serious injury.”