Pahrump man dies after I-15 off-ramp crash in Las Vegas

A routine drive through one of Las Vegas’ busiest freeway transitions turned deadly for an 89-year-old Pahrump man, underscoring the risks Nye County residents face when traveling the corridor to and from Clark County.

Nevada Highway Patrol identified the driver as Roger Lavoie of Pahrump. He died Sunday, May 10, at a local area hospital, nine days after the crash at about 2:30 p.m. on May 1 at the northbound Interstate 15 off-ramp to Tropicana Avenue in Las Vegas.

Investigators said Lavoie was driving a blue 2023 Kia Seltos north on the off-ramp when he failed to stop at a red light and entered the intersection in front of a blue 2022 Toyota Corolla. The Corolla struck the right side of the Kia, according to Nevada Highway Patrol. Medical personnel responded to the scene, but both drivers refused assistance and were not transported at the time.

The Clark County coroner’s office ruled that Lavoie died from complications of blunt-force injuries caused by a motor vehicle collision. His death was later reported by Nevada Highway Patrol as the 30th fatality in 27 crashes the agency had investigated in 2026, a grim measure of how dangerous Southern Nevada roads have become this year.

For Pahrump residents, the case hits close to home. The Las Vegas run is a regular part of life for many who commute for work, medical care, shopping or airport travel, and the I-15 corridor remains the main link between Nye County and the metro area. The Tropicana off-ramp is one of the points where freeway traffic slows, signals and cross traffic converge, leaving little margin for error when a driver runs a light.

Nevada Highway Patrol said the investigation remains ongoing. For drivers making the trip between Pahrump and Las Vegas, the crash is another reminder that the final miles off I-15 can be as dangerous as the freeway itself, especially where high-speed traffic meets a red light and a busy city intersection.