A motorist accused of killing a North Las Vegas teen and seriously injuring her sister was jailed Tuesday morning after authorities said he failed to comply with stringent conditions for drug and alcohol testing while out on bond.
Triquan Hughes, 31, was ordered remanded into custody by North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Kalani Hoo. Hoo also raised Hughes’ bail to $1 million, from $250,000, after learning Hughes failed to turn in a drug and alcohol monitoring patch while out of custody.
”This appears that you have failed to comply with the conditions that were set,” Hoo said, before ordering bailiffs to handcuff Hughes.
“There are no other conditions I can add,” Hoo said of the decision to increase bail.
North Las Vegas police said Hughes was driving a BMW x5 recklessly on May 2 on Simmons Street, weaving in and out of traffic, as the vehicle approached Craig Road. Police said Hughes ran a red light and clipped a Kia. Hughes’ vehicle then continued up onto a sidewalk and into Janiah Gant, 17, and her sister, Leilani Wigfall, 19, as the sisters walked to a nearby store for snacks.
Gant was killed and Wigfall was seriously injured.
Police said Hughes’ 10-year-old son was in the front seat of the BMW at the time. The boy was not injured.
In newly filed court records, Clark County prosecutors alleged Hughes was driving 101 mph one second before the Kia was struck. Clark County prosecutor Corey Hallquist said in court Tuesday that Hughes faced strict requirements from the court after posting bond, including electronic monitoring and wearing a patch that would tell authorities if he had consumed alcohol or marijuana.
After being fitted with the patch, Hughes did not turn the patch in as required, Hallquist said.
“He is not even being monitored,” Hallquist said. “I don’t even know if he is out there drinking alcohol when there is a no drinking order. There is a no smoking marijuana order. We have no clue.”
When asked by the judge why he had not turned in the patch, Hughes said it was a misunderstanding and that he attempted to call the program’s administrators at the time.
Hughes is charged with two counts each of driving under the influence and reckless driving along with child abuse. Authorities said the DUI charge stems from blood tests showing levels of a marijuana metabolite in Hughes’ system that were above Nevada’s legal limit. Police also said previously that Hughes smelled of alcohol after the crash, but prosecutors said tests on Hughes’ blood showed he was not above the legal limit for alcohol.
Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@reviewjournal.com.
