June 28th ─ a Las Vegas family is mourning the loss of two cousins who were killed during a traffic accident Saturday evening. The accident occurred just before 10:00 p.m. when Metro Police received calls of an accident in the northeast part of Las Vegas. Officers responded and arrived at the intersection of Judson Avenue and Marion Drive to find two wrecked vehicles. According to Metro Police and witnesses, a 2000 Ford Expedition ran a stop sign at the intersection and collided with a 2016 Kia Soul. The driver of the Ford Expedition was arrested on scene for suspicions of being under the influence of alcohol. The driver was identified as Pablo Torres Esparza, 36-years old of Las Vegas.

Four occupants were in the Kia Soul, 2 female adults who were in the front seats while two male teenagers were in the back seat, according to authorities. The driver and front passenger sustained minor injuries, but teen boys were ejected from the Kia Soul and pronounced dead at the scene by first responders and EMTs. This marks the 70th and 71st traffic-related fatality in the Metro Area since the beginning of 2017.

Family members have identified both deceased boys as 16-year old Moises Rivera and 14-year old Oscar Ayala. The two female occupants were also identified as Lucia Covarrubias, and Brenda Covarrubias of Las Vegas. Lucia Covarrubias was driving to her sister Brenda’s house with her son, Oscar Ayala, and her nephew, Moises Rivera, when the crash happened.

“We were talking and when I turned, I just see the car slammed on me. They were going real fast,” said Lucia. “I was screaming, ‘Oscar, Oscar!’ I turned around, and neither was in the back. Not him or my nephew. You don't know hard it is for me to lose my only son,” Lucia Covarrubias continued.

Hundreds of friends and family members gathered together Tuesday night to remember the two teenagers. Tommy Tate, soccer coach for Rivera for the past couple years, said he was convinced Rivera was destined for something great. “Right from the start I felt like he was a true leader, fantastic young man, had a charismatic way about him," said Tate. Rivera was promoted to Captain, not for his athleticism, but because he was a gifted motivator and leader to the team.

"He was always there early, always stayed late. If kids were having bad days or bad games he was always trying to encourage them. You know we just have to remember the good things and remember what positive influence he had for us, and you know, he won't be forgotten," Tate continued.

Jordy Magana had been friends with Rivera since kindergarten, describing Rivera as a class clown and joker, who loved to make people laugh, "He would make everything funny. He always brought smiles out of people, never a dull moment with him”.

"I wake up now and I feel like he is going to call me but he doesn't. It's just crazy growing up with somebody and waking up to a phone call saying he's gone," Magana said.

Officers say Torres shouldn’t have been behind the wheel of a vehicle in the first place because he was driving with a revoked driver’s license for prior run-ins with the law, including a DUI arrest almost a decade ago. Torres, who is being held at the Clark County Detention Center, made his initial court appearance Wednesday where a Las Vegas judge called him a “danger to the community”. The judge set his bail at $2 million with his next court appearance scheduled for July 5.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto collision, Accident Attorney Robert Koenig strongly encourages you to call our car accident lawyer at 1.877.722.9777 for a free consultation. Our highly skilled and experienced attorneys will provide you with the best legal representation and guidance that you need. Our offices are conveniently located throughout Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada and we conduct regular travels in the region to meet with clients.