Drunk driver kills student collecting graduation cap off-campus due to parking shortage

A high school senior in Nevada lost her life in a drunk driving incident as she walked to collect her graduation outfit for a "Senior Walk" event, after her school required students to leave their cars off the campus "due to limited parking spaces on-site," according to a legal claim.

The parents of McKenzie Scott, then 18, are pursuing legal action against the Clark County School District as well as the city of Las Vegas, and the motorist responsible for her death, citing negligence and wrongful death linked to the tragic accident in May 2025 that took her life.

The lawsuit was officially filed exactly a year following Scott’s demise. Keenan Jackson confessed to a DUI causing a fatality in October and received a prison sentence ranging from eight to 20 years in November.

"Scott was an 18-year-old senior attending Arbor View High School," the lawsuit describes. "She had plans to join the school's 'Senior Walk' on that day. 

Due to limited campus parking, the school notified students by email on April 9, 2025, advising them to park on North Buffalo Drive."

The lawsuit states that Scott parked her car on North Buffalo Drive "as per the school's directions." 

While heading out to "collect her cap and gown from her vehicle for the Senior Walk," Jackson struck her with his 2018 Chevrolet Malibu in a marked crosswalk.

"Scott was lawfully in a crosswalk," the claim states. "Jackson did not yield and hit her with his car. The collision inflicted severe blunt force injuries on [Scott]."

Scott was declared dead at the hospital. Her family asserts the crosswalk, where she was hit, had been a source of "several complaints and concerns about its notably hazardous condition," which the city and school district allegedly knew about.

"Despite the numerous complaints and concerns surrounding the crosswalk's hazardous condition, neither the City of Las Vegas nor the CCSD took sufficient actions to ensure pedestrian safety at this crosswalk," the lawsuit states. 

"The City of Las Vegas did not install adequate warning systems, signs, or other traffic calming measures at this known dangerous crosswalk, even with prior knowledge of the hazards."

The complaint highlights that Arbor View High School and the district "should have recognised" the risk posed to students by instructing them to park on Buffalo Drive, exposing them to an "unreasonably unsafe" crosswalk, and accuses them of "not providing sufficient crossing protection or safety methods."

"After [Scott's] passing, both the City of Las Vegas and the CCSD put into effect safety measures that were known and feasible before May 2, 2025; safety protocols should have been enacted before May 2, 2025," the lawsuit alleges, pointing out the installation of pedestrian-activated flashers and extra signage at the crosswalk. Additionally, a crossing guard program was started at Arbor View High School.

Scott’s family is demanding a jury trial and compensation exceeding $130,000.