Grand jury indicts driver in fatal crash with murder

A Clark County grand jury has indicted the driver involved in March’s fatal crash in Boulder City on two felony charges including second-degree murder.

Joshua Buckingham, 27, was originally facing charges in Boulder City Justice Court after the crash on Boulder City Parkway where the sedan he was driving struck a pickup, killing its driver, 58-year-old Randy Reiner of Las Vegas.

Buckingham’s arraignment in District Court is at 9 a.m. today, Aug. 1, in Department 3 at the Regional Justice Center, 200 Lewis Ave., in Las Vegas.

According to those who witnessed the incident, the driver was behaving recklessly, weaving through lanes and going more than 100 mph on Boulder City Parkway. According to other media reports, Buckingham said he was driving 130 mph and admitted to taking prescription drugs before leaving a casino and heading south.

The grand jury indictment was filed July 18 in District Court, with state charges against Buckingham for second-degree murder with a deadly weapon and reckless driving. If found guilty of murder, he faces life imprisonment in state prison with the possibility of parole or a 25-year sentence with the possibility of parole. Parole eligibility for either sentence would start after he served 10 years. For reckless driving, he could face another one to six years in state prison and a fine.

In Nevada, a grand jury is convened by a district judge to look into serious allegations, including criminal complaints, to determine if there is enough evidence to charge the suspected criminal. Their proceedings are confidential, and their decisions are released to the public the day after they meet.

Initially, Buckingham was charged in Justice Court with one count of reckless driving with death or substantial bodily harm to other person. Through his attorney, Buckingham pleaded not guilty, and was said to be at home with his parents in northern Virginia.

After the accident, Buckingham was treated for nonlife-threatening injuries at a hospital and then taken to Clark County Detention Center. His $5,000 bail was posted, and he was released.

The Clark County coroner’s office identified Reiner, who died from multiple blunt force trauma. He was unrestrained at the time of the crash and pronounced dead at the scene.

Buckingham Grand Jury Indictment by Boulder City Review on Scribd

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.