Vegas Teenager Had Marijuana in System During Fatal Minibike Crash

Las Vegas, Nevada – A teenage boy killed last summer in a minibike accident along the Las Vegas Wash had marijuana in his system at levels exceeding ten times the legal limit for drivers under Nevada law, according to a recently obtained Clark County coroner’s report.

Sixteen-year-old Angel Naranjo passed away on July 30, 2023, from blunt force injuries sustained after he collided with a metal cable strung across the trail. The coroner classified the manner of death as an accident.

While toxicology results revealed a Delta-9 THC level of 20 nanograms per milliliter in Naranjo’s blood – far surpassing the state’s 2 nanogram DUI threshold – the report by Dr. Brianna L. Peterson, a forensic toxicologist, did not establish marijuana use as a contributing factor in the crash.

Naranjo’s family previously alleged foul play, suggesting the cable was deliberately placed to cause harm. However, the Metropolitan Police Department’s investigation did not uncover any evidence supporting this claim.

The coroner’s report details the घटना (ghatanā) [Hindi: incident] as follows: On July 30th, around midnight, Naranjo was riding his minibike northbound on a paved trail by the Wash with three friends. They turned south when Naranjo struck a loose galvanized steel cable and was thrown from the vehicle. Medical personnel pronounced him dead shortly after.

Investigators observed tampering with a fence at the scene. A loose cable was found hanging over it, along with scrape marks on a nearby support pole and light post. An examination of Naranjo’s body revealed injuries consistent with contact with a metal cable.

DNA testing conducted on the cable and light post identified only Naranjo’s genetic material. Although other profiles were detected, they were insufficient for further analysis.

The coroner, Stacey A. Simmons, concluded after examining the autopsy results, crime scene photos, and DNA analysis that Naranjo’s death resulted from accidental blunt force trauma to the head and neck sustained during the cable collision.

Source: Review Journal