LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Bishop Gorman graduate and former UNLV basketball recruit Zaon Collins has found a new team.
This week, Collins was added to the online roster at Fresno State. The school's athletics department sent Channel 13 the following statement.
"We can confirm that Zaon Collins is enrolled at Fresno State and is on our men's basketball roster. Beyond that, we have no statement specific to his status on the team as our program has not even started official practices yet."
Collins was on track to possibly suit up for UNLV until a 2020 crash that killed 52-year-old Eric Echevarria.
On Dec. 30, 2020, investigators say Collins was going over 80 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone while he was high on marijuana. That's when he hit and killed Echevarria on Fort Apache Road at Furnace Gulch Avenue, near Blue Diamond Road.
Reckless speed and suspected impairment resulted in a fatal crash at Ft. Apache south of Blue Diamond. This crash marks LVMPD 's 101st fatal traffic collision in 2020. #LivesAreOnTheLine #StopDUI #ItIsAChoice pic.twitter.com/zQwiEOUoAR
— LVMPD Traffic Bureau (@LVMPD_Traffic) December 31, 2020
Police say Collins showed signs of impairment and he was booked into the Clark County Detention Center, where he faced several charges. Collins was released from jail the day after he was arrested and he was under house arrest while the case moved through court.
According to public records, prior to that fatal 2020 crash, Collins had at least four other traffic cases against him: two for going at least 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, one for failing to pay attention while driving, and one for driving the wrong way on a one-way road.
Court records showed Collins had also paid more than $2,000 in fines for those violations and attended a coroner's visitation program in 2019.
On Jan. 7, 2021, UNLV's then-head men's basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger told Channel 13 that Collins was not going to play for UNLV.
"We have talked with the Collins family and have come to the mutual decision that it is in the best interest of everyone that Zaon focus on his other priorities and will not be joining our program," Otzelberger said. "It is a tragic situation and our hearts and prayers go out to all that have been impacted."
After additional testing following the crash, the district attorney later said Collins tested positive for 3.0 nanograms per milliliter of THC — or marijuana — in his blood. Anything above 2.0 is considered impaired under Nevada law
WATCH: How high is too high to drive?
In June 2023, Collins pleaded guilty to manslaughter and reckless driving charges.
As part of a plea agreement, Collins served 90 days in jail at the Clark County Detention Center and was fined $1,000 for the manslaughter charge as well as three years of probation and a $3,500 fine on the reckless driving charge. His probation also included completing 100 hours of community service.
During a hearing, Collins addressed the Echevarria family and expressed remorse for his actions.
"I'm truly sorry and I keep your family in my prayers daily. I hope you can forgive me one day," Collins said. "One day, I hope to tell my story to youth and teens and maybe start my own program helping kids make smarter decisions on the road. I've never been a troublemaker and I plan on keeping it that way."
In August 2023, Collins finished serving his sentence and in September 2023, the athletic director for Salt Lake Community College confirmed that he was a red shirt freshman on their basketball team.
According to his biography on Fresno State's website, Collins started 23 of 32 games for SLCC last season and the school was ranked No. 3 in the nation last year. The team won the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season title, Region 18 championship, and West District trophy and finished the season with a 30-4 record.
As for Fresno State, their first game of the season is scheduled for Nov. 8 against Sacramento State.
