The fiancé of a Las Vegas woman who was killed by a suspected impaired driver said Saturday the couple’s four children “miss their mother a lot” and are struggling in her absence.
Jessica Fodge, 31, was walking on a sidewalk on University Center Drive north of East Twain Avenue at about 8:45 a.m. Wednesday when a Chevrolet Trax veered into the opposite lanes of traffic, ran a red light, made a wide turn north and went up on to the sidewalk, striking her, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a news release, without identifying Fodge by name.
Fodge was taken to nearby Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead.
“Jessica was a very loving and caring person,” said Devon Mayers, Fodge’s fiancé, on Saturday. “She was a helping and caring person … one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life.”
Gerardo Jose Lopez, 39, was arrested following the crash, police said. He was not injured. Lopez faces charges of reckless driving and DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, according to Las Vegas Justice Court records.
According to Metro, Lopez was driving the Trax eastbound on Twain when the Trax entered the westbound lanes. The SUV then drove through a solid red light at University Center and made a wide northbound turn before driving up onto the sidewalk and hitting Fodge, police said.
Bail for Lopez was set at $250,000 on Thursday. He remained in custody at the Clark County Detention Center as of Saturday, according to jail records.
Fodge’s children — which range in age from 5 to 9 — have found it difficult to comprehend what happened to their mother, Mayers said.
“They don’t understand too much, but they understand that mommy’s gone,” Mayers said. “They’re taking it day by day right now, but they’re hurt. They’re very hurt.”
Mayers said the family moved from Southern California to Las Vegas in 2017. Mayers works as a security guard. Fodge worked in the medical field as a caregiver.
“Jessica loved helping people,” Mayers said. “She wanted to become a (registered nurse) and maybe eventually a doctor. She held no grudges, she always accepted people for who they are.”
One GoFundMe account set up to aid Mayers and the four kids following the tragedy had raised nearly $4,500 as of Saturday afternoon. Mayers said the main goal from any donations received was to put on a proper funeral for Fodge.
A vigil in Fodge’s honor took place near where she was struck on Thursday. Lopez’s next court date is Tuesday, court records show.
Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.
