Left inset: Oh'Ryan Brooks in court (KSNV). Right inset: Cristofer Suarez (GoFundMe). Background: The area near Owens Avenue and 21st Street in Las Vegas, Nev., where Oh'Ryan Brooks allegedly struck and killed Cristofer Suarez on Oct. 3, 2025 (KVVU).
A Las Vegas father who allegedly got stoned while getting his kids ready for school, dropped them off, and then toked up again in his car with a THC vape pen before fatally mowing down a 12-year-old boy is headed to prison for at least seven years.
Oh'Ryan Brooks, 27, learned his fate on Monday in Clark County after accepting a plea deal in exchange for some of his charges being dropped, including DUI and reckless driving. He was sentenced to a minimum of seven years and maximum of 17 1/2 years in prison with credit for 186 days served for leaving the scene of a crash involving death or personal injury, according to online court records.
Brooks' attorney had asked for two to five years behind bars, while prosecutors wanted 20 years.
"Nothing will bring the victim back," said Clark County Judge Maria Gall, according to local ABC affiliate KTNV. "However, there has to be accountability for this crime, and given the circumstances, the proposed five years does not provide the accountability required in this case."
Brooks was allegedly caught on surveillance video plowing into Cristofer Suarez on Oct. 3, 2025, around 7:40 a.m. near the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Owens Avenue. Cops said a witness told investigators Brooks was "speeding on Owens Avenue" before hitting Suarez, who was sent flying into a wrought iron fence.
After the alleged crash, Brooks claimed the sun was in his eyes and he had no idea what he hit, per police. Cristofer was walking to class that morning and had just taken a few steps off the curb, while walking in an implied crosswalk within an active school zone, when Brooks mowed him down, according to cops.
"Today marks six months since I heard his time of death, and I still hope to wake up from this horrible nightmare one day," Cristofer's mother, Martina Suarez, reportedly said in court. "Your honor, even though nothing will bring my son back, I ask you to give him the max. Please don't let him get away with killing my son. No child should be killed, especially while going to school. You are our last hope for justice."
Cops said Brooks confessed to being behind the wheel and smoking the THC vape pen while getting his children ready for school. Authorities noted in his arrest report, which was obtained by local CBS affiliate KLAS, that he was allegedly "swaying from side to side and slurring his words" while speaking to them and nearly fell over.
Brooks allegedly fled from the scene of the crash in his Mitsubishi SUV and then smoked more marijuana "because he knew he was going to jail," according to the report. Police said Brooks was tracked and located through his license plate number, with security footage from an apartment where he was found allegedly showing him inspecting the front of his vehicle.
"He mentioned that he had his cell phone with him but did not make any calls because he doesn't do that and had no one to call," the arrest report said.
As part of his plea deal, Brooks admitted to fleeing the scene of the crash but insisted he did not cause it. He claimed in court on Monday that another car had hit him, cracking his windshield and making it hard to see. Both prosecutors and his own attorney clarified that this claim was not supported by the evidence, KTNV reports.
Brooks has been ordered to pay $6,953.31 in restitution to Cristofer's mother. She has said that the amount was not even enough to pay for her son's funeral.
"Not even near enough," Suarez told reporters after Brooks accepted his plea deal in February.
Speaking to KTNV after the sentencing, Suarez said, "This ruined my whole life, and he's going to get out, and he's still going to be young, but I wanted him to hear exactly what he did — him and his family to hear exactly how badly he hurt my son. To eventually be able to grieve my son correctly and have closure, I need to know, and I need to make sure that I did everything that I could."
Brooks, despite his claims about his windshield being cracked and another driver causing the crash, did apologize to Cristofer's family during the hearing.
"I want to say sorry," he told Suarez and others in attendance. "It was a complete accident."
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