Deadly Las Vegas DUI Homeless Camp Crash: Driver Was Leaving Dotty’s
Posted on: January 3, 2026, 06:50h.
Last updated on: January 3, 2026, 06:50h.
- Driver returning from Dotty’s allegedly hit homeless camp, killing man.
- Police say Honda crossed lanes, left roadway, traveled about 1,000 feet.
- Blood test four hours later showed 0.144 BAC; tox pending.
A man accused of crashing into a homeless encampment in Las Vegas, causing one death, was returning home from a Dotty’s casino while well over the legal limit for alcohol, according to court documents.
At around 7:20 p.m. on Friday, December 19, Elijah Brown, 24, lost control of his 2007 Honda Accord while traveling eastbound on Warm Springs Road in southeast Las Vegas.
The vehicle struck the center median, crossed multiple eastbound lanes, and left the roadway before continuing for about 1,000 feet and colliding with the encampment, documents said.
Nicholas Sunday, 61, who was inside the encampment, was struck and pinned beneath the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene by responding medical crews.
Police Response
Brown, of Henderson, Nev., remained at the scene and was treated for minor injuries. He told police he was driving home from Dotty’s when he lost control, adding that his brakes may have malfunctioned. Responders found an electronic marijuana device and a pill bottle on Brown’s person, and they suspected he was impaired.
A blood test taken four hours after the crash determined that Brown’s blood-alcohol level was 0.144, significantly higher than Nevada’s legal limit of 0.08. Further toxicology tests are pending.
In suspected DUI cases involving fatalities, a blood test is favored over a roadside breath test because it’s more accurate and holds up better in court. A delay of several hours is normal because blood tests require a warrant and must be administered by a qualified medical professional.
Nevada amended its DUI laws effective January 1, 2026, increasing the maximum penalty for DUI resulting in death to 25 years from 20. It was not immediately clear whether the change would apply to Brown’s case.
No Liability
Dotty’s is a chain of gaming taverns – typically small, neighborhood venues that cater to locals. They are licensed to serve alcohol and usually provide free drinks to players.
Nevada is one of the few states that does not have so-called dram shop laws, which allow civil cases to be brought against venues that serve alcohol to someone who is visibly intoxicated and who then causes injury to someone else.
That means a casino generally can’t be sued later for harm an adult patron causes after leaving the premises. An exception exists for underage drinking.
Brown appeared in court December 20, and his bail was set at $100K. He remains in custody ahead of a preliminary hearing on January 6.
Last Comments ( 2 )
They are vagrants, not homeless. Marijuana does not cause impairment.
If Clark county did not put up with homeless camps, no one would be hurt, but it is blatantly obvious that our county commission has no problem with the homeless, with drug addicts on every corner, crime getting worse. It’s actually scary sometimes. If they wanted to fix it they would, but they don’t and it will only fester.