Henderson residents are mourning the loss of a 14‑year‑old girl who was killed last week after a vehicle struck her while she rode an electric scooter through a marked crosswalk near Racetrack Road and Blue Lantern Drive. The tragedy has reignited local calls for better driver awareness and stronger crosswalk safety measures.
Details of the crash
Police say the teen was crossing the street on an e‑scooter when 64‑year‑old Michael Stanton, the driver of a vehicle that had stopped at the crosswalk, maneuvered around the stopped cars and hit the rider. The girl succumbed to her injuries three days later. Investigators reported that speed and impairment were not factors, and that Stanton remained at the scene and is now facing several charges, including vehicular manslaughter.
Community response
“I’d like to see more police. I need people to slow down,” said one local resident, echoing a broader sentiment that drivers must respect the right of way at crosswalks. Another neighbor called the incident “ridiculous” and “sickening,” reflecting the frustration felt by many.
Parents and students have expressed growing fear about crossing busy streets. One resident recounted hearing about a student who now avoids crosswalks altogether, relying on a friend for transportation across the street.
Expert perspectives
Erin Breen, director of Ped Safe Vegas and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Transportation Research Center, emphasized that drivers have a legal responsibility to yield to pedestrians and scooter riders. “And we still failed her because someone did not yield the right of way,” Breen said.
Breen estimates that 20 children in Clark County have been killed while traveling outside of vehicles in the past 18 months, three of those deaths involving e‑scooters.
Local trauma experts are also noting a sharp rise in injuries related to electric bikes and scooters. John Pope, a representative from Sunrise Hospital, reported that e‑bike‑related injuries treated at the hospital jumped from around 254 at the end of 2025 to roughly 680 by the end of September 2026.
Hospital officials said only about 20 % of injured riders were wearing helmets at the time of their crashes. Pope stressed that helmet use remains one of the most effective ways riders can reduce the risk of serious injury.
Calls for action
Advocates argue that education, protective gear, and driver behavior are all essential to preventing future tragedies. They urge local officials to increase enforcement, improve signage, and consider engineering changes that make crosswalks safer for pedestrians and e‑scooter riders alike.
While the investigation continues, the community hopes the loss of a young life will serve as a reminder of the importance of caution behind the wheel and vigilance at every crosswalk.
Original reporting: KTNV 13 Action News Las Vegas (local) — read the source article.
