A longtime Las Vegas Valley special education teacher died in a crash Friday in the southeast Las Vegas Valley, according to a social media post by the Clark County Education Association.
Through a Facebook post on Tuesday, the teacher’s union said Jeff Buchbaum, 55, of Las Vegas taught at multiple schools in the Clark County School District — including Mojave High School, Monaco Middle School, Sunrise Mountain High School, Ruby Thomas Elementary School, Chaparral High School, Mack Middle School, Cunningham Elementary School and others — over the course of a career that spanned over two decades.
His first job with the district was with Mojave High School in 2003, according to online Nevada Department of Education records.
Buchbaum was killed when the vehicle he was driving was struck by a Hyundai Elantra traveling at a high rate of speed at the intersection of Boulder Highway and Desert Horizons Drive in the southeast valley late Friday morning.
Buchbaum died of blunt force injuries, according to the Clark County coroner’s office. A 43-year-old woman who was in the 2024 Chrysler Pacifica that Buchbaum was driving was hospitalized following the crash.
In the post, the association said Buchbaum was a dedicated teacher who made a positive impact on his students.
“If you were lucky enough to know Jeff, you know that he was a passionate teacher, a proud union member, a good friend, an extremely loving father and husband, a doting grandparent, a son dedicated to his mother and someone you could always count on,” the statement, in part, read.
Zachary M. Zwick, 28, the alleged driver of the Hyundai, was booked on two felony charges of reckless driving that resulted in death or serious injury, according to Metropolitan Police Department records.
Zwick was booked into the Clark County Detention Center, but later posted a $10,000 bond and was released, according to online Las Vegas Justice Court records. A status check hearing for Zwick is scheduled for June 23, records showed.
“He will be missed dearly,” the association said in the Facebook post. “Our hearts are with Jeff’s family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.”
