VICTOR JOECKS: Keep red light cameras out of Nevada

The push for red light cameras and gun control have this in common: Both exploit tragic situations to push new restrictions that mainly inconvenience law-abiding citizens.

It has been a deadly few days on Clark County roads. Nine people died in traffic accidents over a recent five-day span. In one case, police say a Lexus driven by Nikki Serrat blew through a red light near Flamingo Road and Pecos-McLeod. She plowed into a Mitsubishi carrying a woman and her four children. Sadly, the crash killed Taliyah Lewis, 6, and Dante Lewis, 11. It also injured Amara, 8, and Kyrie, 10, according to a GoFundMe campaign.

The horror borders on unimaginable, especially for parents. Losing a child in this way would be crushing. Even though you did nothing wrong, it would be hard to fight off “what-ifs.”

“What if I had taken a different route?” “What if I had left two minutes sooner or later?” “What if I had seen that car coming?”

Sheriff Kevin McMahill believes he knows what would help. He wants the Legislature to pass a bill allowing traffic cameras that would catch red light runners and speeders.

On the surface, that seems logical. If Serrat hadn’t run that red light, those children would still be alive. Everyone wants that.

But there’s another aspect of the story. The Lexus that Serrat drove wasn’t her vehicle. She had stolen it, according to police. This wasn’t her first encounter with the law, either. Her criminal history goes back to 2009. It includes charges for having a stolen vehicle, running a vehicle chop shop and attempted grand larceny of a motor vehicle.

It gets worse. In August, Serrat received up to two years of probation after pleading guilty to attempting to escape from prison. A red light camera wouldn’t have stopped Serrat, but more time in jail would have. As it turns out, it’s hard to steal a car and cause a deadly accident when you’re imprisoned.

Longer jail sentences might have prevented another fatal accident from last week, too. A 14-year-old sped a stolen Hyundai through a red light at Buffalo Drive and Desert Inn Road. The teen struck and killed Andrea Leonard, who was driving a Toyota.

That’s reminiscent of a fatal crash from last year. Two teenagers stole a car and videoed themselves intentionally running into bicyclist Andreas Probst. After police arrested Jesus Ayala, the driver, he said, “You think this juvenile (expletive) is gonna do some (expletive)? I’ll be out in 30 days. I’ll bet you.”

Even teenage criminals understand incentives.

It seems improbable that red light cameras would have prevented other recent accidents. They included a DUI, pedestrian deaths and a motorcycle crashing into a median.

More philosophically, the government is supposed to protect its citizens, not spy on them. I’m glad when I see a police car drive through my neighborhood. I wouldn’t feel the same if a police officer watched my every move. Extended COVID restrictions and mandates are Exhibit A for why it’s a mistake to give government too much power.

Nevada police don’t need more cameras. Nevada police need criminals to know they’ll be arrested and sent to jail.

Victor Joecks’ column appears in the Opinion section each Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Contact him at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on X.