An off-duty California Highway Patrol officer who was in Las Vegas over the weekend for his bachelor party was killed during a high-speed carjacking on the Strip, authorities said Monday.
Jesus Manuel Magdaleno Jr., 33, of Visalia was loading luggage Sunday into the back of his 2009 Nissan pickup with his brother-in-law Felix Brandon Cruz outside the Flamingo hotel when a thief jumped into the truck and got behind the wheel.
The carjacker then sped off, as Magdaleno jumped into the bed of the truck to join Cruz, 31.
Magdaleno was thrown from the truck after the driver struck another vehicle a mile away. The CHP officer died at the scene. Cruz, who also was ejected, remained in critical condition Monday, authorities said.....
Las Vegas police say the fatal carjacking demonstrates how visitors to the resort city need to remain aware, even during a task as simple as loading luggage outside a hotel.
"I think everyone should try to be aware of their surroundings, wherever they are," Hadfield told the Los Angeles Times. "Take the extra precaution of turning off the ignition and taking the keys when you are not around your car. That precaution could have been a factor in this incident. It could have changed what happened."