‘I wasn’t imagined to be driving,’ Las Vegas man ticketed 19 occasions earlier than deadly crash describes self nearly as good driver
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Regardless of police ticketing him 19 occasions for driving and not using a license, registration, or insurance coverage, a Las Vegas man described himself as a “good driver” and apologized for killing a bicyclist.
Julius Hopkins, 32, confronted fees of reckless driving leading to loss of life, little one abuse or endangerment, and having no driver’s license, registration, or insurance coverage, for the Sept. 23 crash on Nellis Boulevard close to Tropicana Avenue within the southeast valley.
Nathan “Nate” Miller, 32, died hours after Hopkins crashed into him, police mentioned. Hopkins was driving a automobile registered to him, information confirmed. The registration, which seemed to be a short lived Nevada plate, expired in March.
Miller’s family and friends mentioned he was a BMX champion who liked using his bike.
Police cited Hopkins on the crash website and launched him. Officers arrested him Thursday, Oct. 26, after buddies got here to the 8 Information Now Investigators with questions concerning the crash investigation. The 8 Information Now Investigators then aired a report on Wednesday, Oct. 18, as a result of at that time, Hopkins was not going through any fees.
“I attempted every thing in my energy to overlook Nathan. I promise you,” Hopkins mentioned from jail. “It was the scariest second of my life.”
Movies the 8 Information Now Investigators obtained appeared to point out Hopkins’ automobile jerking backwards and forwards earlier than colliding with Miller. The automobile then crashed right into a fence and a parked automobile, police mentioned.
“I hit the curb, making an attempt to get out of his means,” Hopkins mentioned. “That’s when the crash occurred.”
Hopkins made his first courtroom look Friday morning the place a decide set bail at $50,000. Through the 3-minute listening to, a prosecutor mentioned Hopkins was allegedly driving at twice the pace restrict with no license, registration, or insurance coverage.
“That’s a lie. That’s a lie,” Hopkins advised 8 Information Now Investigator David Charns. “I used to be not going no 65-70.”
“You don’t have any license. You don’t have any insurance coverage. Why have been you driving?” Charns requested Hopkins.
“I’ve by no means been in an accident in my life,” Hopkins mentioned. “I wasn’t imagined to be driving, sure. I used to be not imagined to be driving. These are info. These are info. However I’ve by no means been in an accident in my life, and I by no means anticipated one thing to occur like that in my life.”
The crash report the 8 Information Now Investigators obtained reveals an officer deemed Hopkins at fault for the crash, although “no enforcement motion [was] taken.”
The 8 Information Now Investigators discovered not less than 19 visitors instances in a number of jurisdictions throughout Clark County the place police cited or ticketed Hopkins. The information date again to 2010.
Hopkins has 14 visitors instances in Las Vegas Justice Court docket. His earliest case, filed in September 2010, was on a cost of no insurance coverage, information confirmed. Six of the 14 instances remained open as of Friday as Hopkins had not paid a superb or had not but appeared earlier than a decide.
Hopkins additionally had visitors instances in Las Vegas Municipal Court docket, which handles such citations inside Las Vegas metropolis limits; Henderson Municipal Court docket and North Las Vegas Municipal Court docket, information confirmed.
“You’ve been pulled over or cited 19 occasions,” Charns advised Hopkins.
“All through my life,” Hopkins mentioned.
“Proper, that’s quite a bit,” Charns mentioned. “You have been advised 19 occasions to not drive, you don’t have a license, you don’t have insurance coverage, and also you’re nonetheless driving.”
“I attempted to get my license they usually inform me I can’t get my license due to the tickets,” Hopkins mentioned.
As of Friday, Hopkins owed practically $2,000 in visitors fines, information confirmed.
Within the Henderson case, an officer cited Hopkins in February for driving with a suspended registration, information confirmed. Hopkins pleaded no contest however later didn’t pay a multi-hundred-dollar superb. The courtroom then issued a warrant for his arrest. Police then arrested Hopkins in August, ordering him to pay extra fines.
“And so they ship me on my means, they make it seem to be it’s not a giant deal,” Hopkins mentioned about every time an officer ticketed him.
Hopkins’ most up-to-date case earlier than the crash was filed in April for working with out insurance coverage and a sound driver’s license, information confirmed. There was no report of any exercise within the courtroom docket aside from the quotation’s issuance.
“I’ve to dwell my life,” Hopkins mentioned about driving. “I’ve to attempt to make one thing occur. I’ve a spouse. I’ve a child. I’m a godparent, man. I’m a father that works. I’ve to do one thing, I can’t simply be a sitting duck simply because I don’t have a license, do you perceive me, sir?”
Final January, a brand new Nevada regulation decriminalized minor visitors offenses. The invoice additionally abolished the follow of issuing warrants for failure to pay visitors fines or seem in courtroom. A number of open instances don’t have any documented occasion aside from the issuance of a quotation.
The officer famous on the crash report that neither alcohol nor medicine have been concerned, nevertheless, there was no test field on the shape for the way the officer made that willpower. It was unclear what Hopkins advised the officer or what potential witnesses might have reported as his arrest report was not instantly out there.
On Monday, prosecutors dropped the cost of driving and not using a license, changing it was a cost of “resident with non-Nevada driver’s license,” information confirmed. Hopkins remained in custody as of Tuesday and was scheduled to have a preliminary listening to in January.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
