Community Mourns 12-Year-Old Struck by Suspected Drunk Driver While Walking to School

A 12-year-old Las Vegas student, Christofer Suarez, has died after being struck by a suspected impaired driver while walking to school, prompting grief from his mother and calls from the community for greater safety measures.

Authorities say Suarez left the sidewalk to cross East Owens Avenue near North 21st Street on a Friday morning when he was hit by an SUV and thrown into a fence. He remained hospitalized for three days before succumbing to his injuries. The driver, identified as 27-year-old Oh’Ryan Brooks, allegedly fled the scene but was later located at a nearby apartment complex and arrested. He showed indications of impairment, and police have booked him on suspicion of driving under the influence and hit-and-run charges.

During a court hearing, Suarez’s mother burst into tears and said the incident had “destroyed my entire life.” The boy was a seventh grader at Smith Middle School, where students and parents have since gathered to demand intersection improvements and more protective measures during school hours.

Volunteers from Walk Safely LV, an advocacy group already active in school-area safety work, increased their presence at crosswalks near the school in the days following the crash. One volunteer, Krista Holloway, called the intersection’s two-way stop configuration unsafe for the volume of school traffic it must accommodate.

The tragedy has sparked renewed discussion among city and county officials about enhancing pedestrian infrastructure, enforcing speed limits, and improving driver accountability—especially in school zones.

Original source: Las Vegas Review-Journal