Republic Services driver charged in off-ramp death

Woman, 19, killed in truck rollover more than five months ago

By Christina Littlefield
Las Vegas Sun

LAS VEGAS, NV - More than five months after a rollover left a young woman dead, the driver of the Republic Services garbage truck that crushed her is facing felony charges of reckless driving and involuntary manslaughter.

The district attorney's office charged Richard Charles Hall, 34, on Monday in connection with the Dec. 26 [2004] death of 19-year-old Ashley Jean Swain of North Las Vegas.

Hall's 2001 Volvo garbage truck was 20,000 pounds overweight and he was going too fast on the curving off-ramp at Cheyenne Avenue and Interstate 15 when the truck rolled over and crushed Swain's Chevrolet Suburban, alleged Trooper Angie Chavera, a Highway Patrol spokeswoman.

She said the excess weight and speed caused Hall to lose control of the truck.

Clark County District Attorney David Roger said Hall is being charged in Swain's death because there is "sufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing." . . Read more