LV man to admit he stole cop car

Friday, April 5, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

A 19-year-old Las Vegas man said he will admit to stealing a Metro Police car while the cop hung on the passenger door and shot him.

Daniel Jimenez, represented by attorney Peter Flangas, waived his preliminary hearing Thursday and agreed to plead guilty to the charge of escape with the use of a weapon and possession of 15 grams of cocaine.

As part of the plea bargain, the penalties for the two crimes has been capped at a 15-year sentence. Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle set the sentencing for Thursday.

Jimenez was stopped Dec. 29 in the 2900 block of Maryland Parkway for a traffic violation. He was arrested when narcotics and two guns were found in his 1980 Buick, police said.

Jimenez is accused of slipping out of the handcuffs and jumping behind the wheel of the patrol car as officers took inventory of the drugs and weapons.

Officer Michael Richards, 25, was able to open the patrol car's passenger door and hang on as Jimenez drove off, swerving erratically along Maryland, police said.

When Jimenez refused to comply with Richards' commands to stop, the officer pulled his gun from his holster and fired a shot, which hit Jimenez in the upper torso.

The officer was thrown from the car before it rammed into a tree and fire hydrant.

Richards, a six-year Metro veteran, was treated for leg and ankle injuries.