A deadly early morning crash on the Las Vegas Strip ended with a prison sentence after a driver struck a pedestrian and kept going.
LAS VEGAS, NV – A man crossing West Flamingo Road near the Las Vegas Strip was killed in a hit-and-run crash that later led to a multi-year prison sentence for the driver, according to police and court records. The collision happened around 3:30 a.m. on May 30, when 29-year-old Jeffrey Ryan Diedenhofen was attempting to cross the roadway outside of a marked crosswalk.
Stephon Watkins, 37, was driving a 2016 BMW X5 along West Flamingo Road when the vehicle struck Diedenhofen. Police said the SUV continued driving after the impact, “failing to come to a stop.” Emergency responders arrived but “determined that the pedestrian was beyond resuscitation,” and Diedenhofen was pronounced dead at the scene.
Crash details and arrest
The crash occurred west of South Las Vegas Boulevard, an area within the heavily trafficked Strip corridor known for late-night activity. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Diedenhofen was “outside of a marked or implied crosswalk” when he was hit.
Watkins was initially charged with hit-and-run and reckless driving. Authorities later located him in Sacramento, California, where he was arrested in December and returned to Clark County to face prosecution.
Court records show Watkins pleaded guilty last month to failure to stop at the scene of a crash involving death. He was sentenced this week to a prison term of four to 12 years.
Sentencing and statements
During sentencing Monday, Watkins addressed the court and referenced his actions leading up to the crash, saying, “I was trying to make a still-green light,” according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The victim’s father, John Diedenhofen, disputed that account and pointed to evidence reviewed during the case. “From the video evidence, I believe my son would have escaped injury and still be alive today if Mr. Watkins had braked, just lifted or even maintained his prior, already excessive, speed,” he said. He added that Watkins appeared to accelerate before impact, reaching speeds of up to 86 mph in a 35 mph zone.
The case underscores the consequences of failing to stop after a collision, particularly in high-traffic areas like the Las Vegas Strip, where pedestrian activity remains constant at all hours.