A Las Vegas man under the influence of alcohol and marijuana caused a multi-vehicle crash in September 2025. Earlier, he had pleaded not guilty in court. This was despite crashing his vehicle, killing a seven-month pregnant woman’s unborn child, and critically injuring her and her son.
The 28-year-old drunk driver, Maximiliano Chavez, is now headed to prison to serve 16 to 40 years as he pleaded guilty to two counts of DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm and one count of reckless driving. His previous DUI records date back to 2017 and 2021.
He was earlier charged with causing the death of Rebekah Dauz’s unborn baby. However, the charges were dropped after his plea deal. Dauz’s husband and son were also in the vehicle but did not sustain any critical injuries.
Mom lost pregnancy in crash caused by drunk driver right after she left ultrasound appointment and saw her baby smile for the first time https://t.co/6FiisTjoMI
— Law & Crime (@lawcrimenews) May 11, 2026
Chavez admitted that he was under the influence of alcohol and THC as he drank multiple alcoholic beverages and smoked. After that, he ran a red light, crashing into a Subaru Forester and a Toyota Sienna. After the accident, the police found that Chavez was drunk, and his speech was slurred. The Metro Police officer noted, “His speech pattern was slurred, mumbled, confused, and slow. His gait was unsteady, and he was crying.”
Chavez said during his hearing on Thursday, “I know I am going to go away, but I promise when I get out, I will be a better person.” Meanwhile, Dauz and her son are still recovering from the injuries after the crash.
Diaz shared how the accident has impacted her physically and emotionally. She told the Review-Journal, “Every scar on my body is a reminder of that day and my loss.” She still gets nightmares and flashbacks of her baby’s ultrasound.
Dauz’s sister-in-law, Marie, started a GoFundMe page to support the family. She shared how the day that started with the celebration of seeing the baby, Marlito Nikaoh’s 4D ultrasound, ended in tragedy and pain.
An arrest report states Maximiliano Chavez told officers that before a deadly September crash, he had three micheladas and was using a THC pen.https://t.co/AeDBTbLITy
— KTNV | Channel 13 News Las Vegas (@KTNV) May 9, 2026
She explained how overwhelmed the whole family was with love, but this one accident changed their lives’ trajectory. Marie added that their GoFundMe is not intended for medical costs. Instead, it aims to help the family return to normal life, as Dauz and her son still have a long road to recovery.
Dauz’s son, Isaiah, also spoke about his recovery. He said, “I am still healing and recovering slowly, but I believe I will continue to be better with time. I also want Mr. Chavez to know that I forgive him and I will be praying for him.”
The Dauz family was satisfied with the sentence given to Chavez. Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Chad Lexis noted that the judge did justice to the family.
