After Child’s Death, State Must Toughen DUI Laws

Nevada’s DUI laws remain far too lenient, and last week’s legislative failure to strengthen them was a missed opportunity. The death of 12-year-old Cristofer Suarez—struck by a suspected impaired driver—exposes the devastating consequences of soft policy. Meanwhile, advocates and the governor continue pushing for penalties that match the risk.

Under current law, a driver whose DUI causes death or substantial bodily harm faces just two to 20 years behind bars. Metro police say they’ve logged over 4,400 DUI arrests this year, a nearly 5 % drop from the same time last year. But statistics are meaningless without teeth: too many offenders—especially those driving under the influence of marijuana—slip through the cracks.

Sandy Heverly of STOP DUI warns that most misdemeanor offenders end up in victim impact classes only because they consumed THC before driving. She’s not wrong. The tragic fate of Suarez—killed by a driver who admitted to using marijuana—underscores how the public’s perception of cannabis is dangerously misaligned with reality. Drivers often assume legality equals safety, but they’re terribly mistaken.

In the wake of Suarez’s death, Governor Joe Lombardo and his team issued a heartfelt statement, pledging to go all in on tougher DUI reform. “His death reiterates the desperate need for greater DUI penalties in our state,” the governor declared. That rhetoric is welcome—but it’s only meaningful if paired with action.

The Legislature’s failure to advance the Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act is baffling. That bill proposed sweeping criminal reforms, including elevated penalties for DUIs that cause death—efforts gavel-led legislators refused to finish. Meanwhile, one incremental reform did pass: Senate Bill 309 now mandates 20 days as the minimum for a second DUI offense within seven years and lowers the BAC threshold from 0.18 % to 0.16 %. It’s a start—but nothing like what the moment demands.

We must push for more. Let’s aim to raise the maximum sentence for vehicular homicide from 25 years to life, ensure first-offense DUIs involving death get felony treatment, and close loopholes that let intoxicated drivers skate on technicalities. If we don’t make DUI consequences severe enough to outweigh reckless behavior, we only embolden despair and grief in our communities.

Nevada deserves safer roads. But safety won’t come from weak reforms or political compromises. It requires courage—legislation that prioritizes victims over the indulgences of litigation or voter pandering. Let’s see if our legislature, or any who seek to replace them, have the spine to stand up for Nevadans who demand justice.