Driver identified in Las Vegas crash that killed 9

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (NewsNation Now) — Police Monday identified the driver who ran a red light at more than 100 miles per hour, causing a six-vehicle crash that killed nine people and left one person in critical condition in Nevada.

The driver, identified as Gary Dean Robinson, 59, of North Las Vegas, and his passenger, also in his 50s, died at the scene.

Investigators are trying to determine if Robinson was impaired at the time of the crash, which happened at about 3 p.m. Saturday.

Robinson’s car first hit a minivan with a family of seven inside, NewsNation affiliate KLAS reports.

The minivan was being driven by a 35-year-old man. He had six passengers — two men ages 26 and 23 — and four children. They were a 15-year-old girl and three boys, ages 13, 10 and 5.

Police say everyone in the minivan died, most at the scene but one at a hospital. The Clark County Coroner’s Office identified the victims Monday.

The family of those traveling in the minivan launched a GoFundMe page Sunday. The page raised more than $150,000 by late Monday afternoon.

A 31-year-old woman driving the third car struck in the accident’s impact was transported in critical condition. She remains hospitalized.

Of the other three cars involved in the wreck, six people were hurt. Their injuries range from minor and non-life-threatening to serious.

In all, 15 people were involved in the crash.

“We have not seen a mass casualty traffic collision like this before,” police spokesman Alexander Cuevas said at a news conference. Cuevas said the crash was reported at 3 p.m. after the driver struck multiple vehicles, causing “a chaotic event.”

A cousin of one of the victims spoke with NewsNation affiliate KLAS. She said she returned to the scene of the crash Sunday to help search for a dog. Magic was in the car with Tiffani May, one of the victims.

“She is so giving and loving. She would do for others and would give the shirt off her back. I know that even if she had the capacity to help yesterday and had the strength to, she would’ve got up and done that,” said Tameka Henry, the cousin of another crash victim.

May was still recovering in the hospital as of Sunday evening.

“We don’t know (what will happen) … when these youth find out that their classmates have passed away,” Henry said. “We as a community have an obligation to be there for the families and children that are affected by this tragedy.”

Some of the vehicles struck were pushed into a vacant lot on the intersection, which was reopened by Sunday afternoon.

“Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families who are experiencing a tremendous and unnecessary loss due to a careless and senseless act,” North Las Vegas Councilwoman Pamela Goynes-Brown said.

“Please make this a safer community by slowing down. Pay attention to speed limits,” Cuevas said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is coordinating an investigative team with North Las Vegas police and will be on-site Monday.

The crash happened less than 24 hours after a person was struck and killed by a pickup truck near Civic Center Drive and Cheyenne Avenue, which is less than 2 miles away.

On Jan. 10, another six-vehicle crash just south of Las Vegas left four people dead.

According to authorities, 2021 was the deadliest on Nevada roads in 14 years. The state reported 382 traffic fatalities last year, an 18% increase over 2020′s total.

The Associated Press and NewsNation affiliate KLAS contributed to this report.