Off-duty Las Vegas corrections officer Maurice Washington has pleaded guilty to two felony counts of reckless driving resulting in death in connection with a May hit-and-run that killed a pedestrian. In court Monday, District Judge Michael Villani reminded Washington that each count carries a potential one-to-six-year prison term. Washington, who remains free on $250,000 bail, is scheduled to be sentenced in March and is still eligible for probation.
How Police Say the Crash Unfolded
According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the collision happened shortly after 3:28 a.m. on May 11 at South Decatur Boulevard and Alta Drive. Investigators say a black 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560 was heading north at a high rate of speed and entered the intersection on a green light when it struck a man who was walking in a marked crosswalk against the pedestrian signal.
Police said the car did not stop and left the scene. Debris from the vehicle and video evidence were later used to tie the Mercedes to the crash, according to the department. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene, and officers said the driver showed signs of impairment when he later returned.
The Guilty Plea and Pre-Sentencing Rollbacks
At Monday’s plea hearing, Washington admitted to two felony counts of reckless driving resulting in death under an agreement that allows prosecutors to refrain from making any sentencing recommendation at his March hearing, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. His defense attorney, Joshua Tomsheck, asked the court to lift Washington’s regular drug testing and electronic monitoring requirements while he awaits sentencing, and the judge agreed.
Under the terms of the plea, Washington remains eligible for probation even as he faces the possibility of prison time when he appears in court in March.
What Investigators Say Happened After the Crash
When officers arrested Washington in May, they said he came back to the crash scene about 45 minutes after the collision, arriving with his mother, according to earlier reporting by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In that account, Washington allegedly told police he had been drinking earlier at a hookah lounge…