Name: Stronger penalties for deadly DUI will soon go into effect in Nevada
Uploaded: 2025-12-31T03:47:07.685Z
Duration: 2 min 30 s
Description: Channel 13 reporter Shellye Leggett talks to Martina Suarez, who lost her 12-year-old son Cristofer, about upcoming enhanced DUI penalties in Nevada.

Channel 13 reporter Shellye Leggett talks to Martina Suarez, who lost her 12-year-old son Cristofer, about upcoming enhanced DUI penalties in Nevada.

Nevada

Nevada is set to enforce a new law that increases penalties for DUI offenses resulting in death, following a year marked by several fatal DUI incidents, including the death of 12-year-old Christopher Suarez. The law, effective January 1, mandates a minimum two-year prison sentence and fines for first-time offenders, with harsher penalties for repeat offenders.

The family of Christopher Suarez, who was killed while walking to school, expressed hope that the new law will help prevent future tragedies, though they believe the penalties should be even stricter. According to Las Vegas Metro Police, 40 deadly crashes were attributed to DUIs in the past year, highlighting the ongoing impact of impaired driving in the state.

Stronger penalties for deadly DUI will soon go into effect in Nevada

12 year old Christopher Suarez is just one of many victims of DUI crashes this year. His alleged killer is still in jail awaiting trial. Suarez's family hopes this new Nevada law will set the tone for cases like his moving forward. Martina Suarez says Christmas wasn't as bright this year for her and her family. It was very dark. She says that's because the light her son would bring into every room he walked into is now a dimly lit candle on a sidewalk. He had a lot of dreams. 12 year old Christopher Suarez was walking to class at J.D. Smith Middle School the morning of October 3rd when police say he was hit and killed by an impaired driver. The suspect, 27 year old Orion Brooks, told officers when he was arrested that he had vaped THC that morning. He faces multiple felony charges including DUI resulting in death, reckless driving, and failing to stop at the scene of a crash. I waited two months to see remorse, for him to look sorry, to be sorry to anything. According to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, as of December 21st, they've investigated 159 deadly crashes. 40 were contributed to DUIs. That's compared to 69 deadly DUI crashes in 2024. But many say 40 is still too many deaths. While Brooks sits in jail awaiting trial, a new law enforcing stricter penalties for impaired drivers will go into effect January 1st. Under the new law, if a DUI violation causes death and the offender doesn't have any previous convictions, the minimum sentence would be two years with a max of 25 and also a fine of $2,000 to $5,000. If the offender has one or two convictions, the minimum sentence is increased to five years. Suarez says it's a step in the right direction, but it still doesn't send a strong enough message. It's nothing. 10 years should be the minimum. My son was not out running the streets he was going to school. Suarez says nothing will bring her son back, but she hopes stricter penalties will deter others from getting behind the wheel under the influence and possibly taking another life. Reporting in Las Vegas, I'm Shelley Leggett.

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