An 18-year-old Nevada high school senior was tragically killed by a drunk driver while walking to pick up her graduation cap and gown after her school allegedly told students to park off campus because there wasn’t enough parking available.
Now, the devastated parents of McKenzie Scott are suing the Clark County School District, the city of Las Vegas, and the driver responsible for the deadly crash.
According to the lawsuit, Scott was preparing to take part in Arbor View High School’s “Senior Walk” ceremony on May 2, 2025, when the horrific tragedy unfolded.
The complaint says the school had previously emailed students instructing them to park along North Buffalo Drive because of “insufficient on-campus parking.”
Scott reportedly followed those instructions and parked where the school directed students to go.
As she walked through a marked crosswalk to retrieve her cap and gown from her vehicle, prosecutors say she was struck by a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Keenan Jackson.
The lawsuit states Scott was lawfully crossing the street when Jackson allegedly failed to yield and slammed into her.
The impact caused what the complaint describes as “catastrophic blunt force injuries.”
Scott was rushed to the hospital but later died from her injuries.
The lawsuit was filed exactly one year after her death.
According to court records, Jackson later pleaded guilty to DUI resulting in death in October and was sentenced the following month to serve between eight and 20 years in prison.
But Scott’s grieving family says the drunk driver was not the only one responsible.
The lawsuit alleges both the school district and the city were fully aware the crosswalk where Scott was killed was dangerously unsafe long before the tragedy occurred.
According to the complaint, multiple complaints and safety concerns had already been raised about the crosswalk before Scott’s death.
The lawsuit accuses the city of failing to install proper warning devices, signals, traffic calming measures, or other pedestrian safety protections despite allegedly knowing the area posed serious dangers.
Scott’s family also claims Arbor View High School and the school district “knew or should have known” that forcing students to park across the busy roadway exposed them to an “unreasonably dangerous” crossing.
The complaint further alleges the school failed to provide crossing guards or other safety measures to protect students attending the graduation-related event.
Perhaps most troubling, the lawsuit claims safety improvements were only added after Scott was killed.
According to the filing, overhead pedestrian-activated flashers, additional warning signs, and a crossing guard program were later installed following the deadly crash.
Scott’s family argues those protections should have already been in place before her death.
The family is now seeking a jury trial and more than $130,000 in damages.
In a statement, the Clark County School District said the community continues to mourn Scott’s death but declined to comment further because of the pending lawsuit.
The city of Las Vegas also confirmed it is reviewing the legal filing.