Nathaniel Postelle III was arrested on Thanksgiving morning in the Las Vegas Valley after police suspected him of a DUI that resulted in a tragic car crash; as well, police found a gram of cocaine in his pants pocket at the scene of the crash.

Police claim that Postelle, age 27, ran a red light on Russell Road at Durango and slammed into the driver’s side of a Nissan Sentra driven by 32-year-old Monique Prado. Our Las Vegas DUI attorneys believe the presence of the controlled substance at the time of the fatal crash will be a key piece of the case.

Who Was the Victim?

Prado was a hairstylist and single mom with three children who was in town from California, visiting her mom for Thanksgiving. She had just one day off of work, Thursday, so she drove to Las Vegas Wednesday night with her children in tow.

Sadly, on Thursday morning, Monique died in the crash caused by Postelle. Monique’s 12-year-old daughter, Emma, was hospitalized with injuries. They had gone out together to get coffee before intending to head back home to help prepare a big Thanksgiving meal.

Prado’s mom became worried when her daughter and granddaughter had been gone for a couple of hours. She didn’t know what had happened, or if they were lost. Then, her nightmare came true: she received a phone call from UMC with the tragic news.

The Accused Exhibited Signs of Severe Intoxication

Immediately after the crash, a witness told detectives that Postelle exited his car and sat down on a curb, where he began crying. He was less than two minutes from home at the time. Postelle is a felon who had pleaded guilty to drug possession back in 2013. He is now being held on $250,000 bail in Clark County Detention Center, facing charges of DUI resulting in death and possession of a controlled substance.

The Defense States the Victim Ran a Red Light

Postelle was suffering from a head injury when police arrived on the scene. His breath smelled of alcohol, and his eyes were bloodshot. Officers also reported that he was swaying while he spoke to them. During his first court appearance, Postelle’s defense attorney, Craig Mueller, stated that it was Prado who “blew a light.” He also noted that officers drew Postelle’s blood outside the required two-hour window, which, according to Nevada Law, would lessen the case against Postelle.

However, despite this claim, the police report says that after the 8:35 a.m. crash, Postelle was taken to UMC, where the first blood sample was taken at 10:13 (within the 2-hour window). A second sample was taken after 11:00 a.m. As well, Las Vegas traffic investigators have stated that witnesses and surveillance at Durango and Russell show Postelle running the red light.

Victim’s Children Left Without Mother

Prado’s mom says, “I believe it will be on me to adopt the kids… They didn’t have anyone else.” She described her deceased daughter as kind, compassionate, strong, and determined – an artistic woman who enjoyed music and movies. “She loved those kids with everything she had.”