Man allegedly steals car at Walmart, kills passenger while ‘trying to beat the light’

A Nevada man took a car from Walmart while a person with mobility challenges was inside, and then collided with it — resulting in the death of the individual— after rushing through an intersection, according to police and the victim's family.

"I was trying to beat the light," Harold Allen, 55, reportedly said to a witness following the collision, as noted in court papers acquired by the local CBS affiliate KLAS.

Allen is facing charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with the death of 37-year-old Benito Saragosa, after commandeering the vehicle with Saragosa inside from a Walmart near Charleston and Decatur boulevards in Las Vegas, law enforcement reports.

Saragosa's family explained to KLAS that he was recovering from alcoholism and had heart issues that frequently left him unable to move. They believe he lacked the ability to resist or leave the car due to these conditions.

"My mom always tried to keep him engaged and mobile. But his heart function was already down to 20%," said Saragosa's sister, Shelley Saragosa. "He was supposed to wear a vest to restart his heart and such," she continued.

"My mom could have used those motorized shopping carts. But he preferred not to go inside with many people around. Wherever my mom went, he would wait in the vehicle."

Shelley Saragosa mentioned that besides his mobility issues, her brother also "wasn't fond of speeding cars," so she believes this contributed to why he didn't try to escape. Their mother informed the police that she was shopping at Walmart and had left her keys in the ignition.

"I've been crying every day because my brother was clear about it. He disliked fast cars," Shelley Saragosa expressed to KLAS. "He was afraid of dying like that because he thought it would be painful. And, unfortunately, that's likely what occurred."

According to authorities, Allen collided with another vehicle after ignoring the red light and eventually crashed into a pole. Surveillance reportedly captured him entering the car and driving off from the Walmart before the crash.

"I cannot comprehend why this person chose to enter the car," Shelley Saragosa remarked. "It just didn't make sense. What was your goal? To wreck a vehicle? And then you ended my brother’s life?"

Saragosa's mother, Deborah Requena, told KLAS, "I want to ask him [Allen], why did he do it? It didn't benefit you. So why did you have to take my child from me?"

Allen allegedly informed officers that his girlfriend drove him to the Walmart and went inside to do some shopping while he waited in her car.

Allen stated that he entered the store to find her, then got into a vehicle he assumed was hers and "ended up crashing it," the court documents indicate.

"[Allen] mentioned the accelerator was stuck," the documents state. "Harold couldn’t remember if someone else was in the car when the accident happened. When detectives sought more clarity on what transpired after Harold entered the car, he either claimed not to know or couldn't recall."

Legal documents reveal that Allen is currently detained without the option of bail and has a preliminary court date on April 28.