California driver who fled fatal Strip crash sentenced to prison

A judge ordered a four- to 12-year prison sentence Monday for a California driver who killed a Las Vegas man in a hit-and-run crash on the Strip last year.

Stephon Watkins, 37, pleaded guilty in April to failure to stop at the scene of a crash involving death in connection with the May 30 crash that claimed the life of Jeffrey Diedenhofen, 29.

The collision occurred at about 3:30 a.m. when Diedenhofen was crossing West Flamingo Road west of South Las Vegas Boulevard outside of a crosswalk, according to police.

Police announced in December that Watkins was arrested in Sacramento.

Watkins and prosecutors agreed to recommend the sentence he received as part of his plea deal.

“The only thing we could ever hope is that someone who did something so horrific and so tragic and so unnecessary would find a path forward when they’re no longer incarcerated, assuming they make it on the other side of that incarceration, to pay it forward to honor Jeff and to honor the life that was taken so unnecessarily,” said District Judge Kathleen Delaney before ordering Watkins’ sentence.

Jennifer Diedenhofen, the victim’s mother, addressed the court with family photos and a box of her son’s ashes on a table in front of her.

She described him as creative, independent and driven, a person who started his own business and valued his family and friends.

Since her son’s death, sleeping has been almost impossible, his mother said.

“When I close my eyes, I see my son, that smiling, bright, blue-eyed child who made me a mother being struck by that speeding car,” she said. “I know there are videos, but I cannot bring myself to watch them.”

But, she added: “Jeff is not defined by the way he died. He is defined by the way he lived and the love he brought into the lives of those who knew him, especially to me, his mother.”

Watkins, who appeared to be crying during the hearing, apologized in court. “I was trying to make a still green light,” he said.

“Stephon is deeply remorseful, both for speeding that night and also for not staying at the scene with Jeffrey that night,” said public defender Marsella Saldanha.

John Diedenhofen, the victim’s father, said his son was a businessman engaging with Bitcoin 2025 conference attendees.

He said that based on the evidence, Watkins accelerated to between 79 and 86 mph in a 35 mph zone before hitting his son.

“From the video evidence, I believe my son would have escaped injury and still be alive today if Mr. Watkins had braked, just lifted or even maintained his prior, already excessive, speed,” he said.

The victim’s mother contrasted Watkins’ sentence with the value of her son’s life.

“A sentence has an end point,” she said. “This loss does not.”