Nevada Woman Driving Recklessly Killed A Father, Claimed She Hit a Coyote to File AAA Claim

A 63-year-old Nevada woman pleaded for forgiveness in court after her Tesla Model Y struck and killed a 33-year-old father and martial artist in May 2025.

Karen Cannon, who was arrested in connection with the hit-and-run on June 4, 2025, by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, initially claimed she had hit a coyote and filed an AAA claim to repair her car.

“Please forgive me, please,” Cannon reportedly told the family of her victim, Patrick Deloriea, during her sentencing on April 22.

“It’s unfortunate, I didn’t mean for this to happen. I’m sorry,” a teary-eyed Cannon said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

However, the victim’s distraught family was not ready to accept her apology. “I won’t forgive her and I don’t think God will forgive her,” Deloriea’s mother, Melody Peterson, told the outlet. “She will be judged in front of God.”

Authorities said she was traveling at 66.3 mph in a 35 mph zone when she struck Deloriea, with the impact throwing him approximately 155 feet.

According to LVMPD, the collision occurred around 1:18 a.m. on May 13, 2025, on North Rainbow Boulevard at the intersection with Vegas Drive.

“Evidence at the scene, witness statements, and video indicated that a Tesla was traveling southbound on Rainbow Boulevard approaching the intersection with Vegas Drive,” police said.

“A pedestrian was attempting to cross on the north side of the intersection when he was struck by the Tesla. The driver failed to stop at the scene or notify police.”

Emergency responders arrived and attempted life-saving measures, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cannon later pleaded guilty in January to reckless driving resulting in death and failing to stop at the scene of a fatal crash.

She fled the scene and, days later, took her vehicle to a body shop after filing an AAA claim. According to the arrest report, Cannon told investigators her Tesla had suffered a “hard blow” after hitting what she believed was a coyote, per KLAS.

After seeing news reports about a crash involving a Tesla, the owner of the body shop contacted police and turned over the vehicle’s front left fender.

“There’s no consequence to the bad driving until it gets to a position where we’re in the courtroom and one person has pled guilty and you have a family who will never get back a person,” said District Judge Danielle Pieper during Cannon’s sentencing.

“The loss of my husband has completely and permanently changed my life,” said Deloriea’s wife, Rebecca Marie Hahn, as she held up a photo of her husband and their 2-year-old son, according to Law&Crime.

“Pat will be deeply missed by his friends, coaches, and training partners, as anyone who knew him knew that every moment with Pat was never a dull one,” a family member wrote on his GoFundMe page. “You could always count on a grin, a joke, a jab, or a story, all in his own unique style.”

Cannon was ultimately sentenced to three to eight years in prison.