Woman Fatally Hit a Man in Las Vegas and then Stopped for Car Fix in Pahrump: Nevada Authorities
According to documents obtained by 8 News Now Investigators, a woman who is accused of hitting and killing a man on a freeway allegedly searched for news of the crash shortly after the incident. She then proceeded to take her car to an auto repair shop located over an hour away.
Rachel Terranova, a 27-year-old woman, has been charged with failing to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in death, according to official documents. She was apprehended by the police on May 30.
According to official documents, a distress call was made to the police on Sunday, April 28, reporting the discovery of a deceased individual near the Far Hills offramp on the 215 Beltway. A person driving a Honda Civic collided with Darrel Pingleton, 35, of Alpine, California, who was walking near the offramp, according to officers.
Authorities have confirmed that Pingleton’s death occurred at approximately 11:45 p.m. the previous night. Authorities also discovered fragments of a Honda Civic in the vicinity of the accident, prompting them to search for a vehicle matching its description with visible damage to the front end.
On May 1st, authorities were alerted by an auto repair worker in Pahrump regarding a Honda Civic that had been brought in with noticeable front-end damage and the presence of blood. Terranova claimed that she collided with construction equipment on April 27, leading to the investigation.
The distance between Las Vegas and Pahrump spans over 60 miles, which typically requires more than an hour of driving time as per Law&Crime.
Authorities reached out to the Nevada Department of Transportation and Las Vegas Paving to investigate the presence of any construction equipment in the vicinity during the incident. They discovered that no such equipment was present at that time.
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Troopers arrived at the Pahrump auto shop and discovered hair on the outside of the car’s windshield, according to their report. Human blood was also detected on the bumper, adding to the evidence. Investigators have also discovered that the missing pieces from the car at the repair shop are a match for the ones found near the crash site.
State police acquired footage from a shopping area, revealing Terranova entering a car resembling the one in question, without any visible damage. However, upon returning to a residence, Terranova was seen driving a similar car with noticeable front-end damage.
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According to documents, Terranova reportedly captured images on her phone of the car’s damage and her arm injuries caused by shattered glass. Following the crash, Terranova reportedly spent the entire night and the following day searching for updates online, according to the police.
During the phone conversation, the police mentioned that they found multiple text messages in which Terranova claimed that a truck had lost its load and collided with her.
In a recent development, prosecutors have requested a judge to consider setting bail at $250,000. Judge Joe Bonaventure has granted Terranova release with electronic monitoring until the Aug. 5 preliminary hearing.
