Suspect steals running car at Walmart, passenger killed in crash, police say

A running, unlocked Hyundai Sonata parked outside a Walmart Supercenter became the scene of a deadly carjacking in Las Vegas, leaving a passenger dead and renewing attention on how exposed workers and shoppers can be in store parking lots.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said the theft happened Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the Walmart at 4505 W. Charleston Blvd. Police said a man in his 30s was asleep in the front passenger seat while a family member shopped inside. The car was left running and unlocked. Investigators said 55-year-old Harold Allen got into the driver’s side, sped away with the passenger still inside, and turned a routine parking-lot stop into a fatal chase.

Police said Allen later struck a silver minivan with two occupants, causing it to spin out, then crashed into a pole and a boulder near Charleston Boulevard and Essex Drive, close to Decatur Boulevard. The passenger in the stolen car was taken to a hospital and later died from his injuries. The driver of the minivan suffered minor injuries, and the other occupant was not hurt. Police described the case as a “crime of opportunity,” saying Allen and the victim did not know each other.

The Clark County Coroner’s Office later identified the victim as Benito Saragosa, 37. Allen was booked on felony charges including murder, kidnapping, robbery and grand larceny of a motor vehicle. Police and court records said he was held at the Clark County Detention Center, and reports said he had an extensive criminal history.

For Walmart associates, especially those coming in before dawn, leaving after closing, or sitting in their cars during breaks, the case is a stark reminder that a store parking lot can become part of the workplace risk environment. A car left running, even for a quick errand, can draw the wrong person in seconds. Locking doors, taking keys, and avoiding idle vehicles with passengers inside are basic precautions that can matter in a lot where customers, employees and delivery traffic all mix. The incident also shows how quickly a parking-lot theft can spill into a broader crash scene, putting bystanders and nearby drivers at risk before police can intervene.