Witnesses: Officer watched attack on fellow officer
Friday, May 16, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
It's not unusual for vagrants to attack Metro Police patrol officers. It is, however, unusual for a fellow officer to watch such an attack and do nothing.
This is what allegedly happened Monday as a female officer was attacked at the Arco station at Las Vegas Boulevard and Mesquite Avenue, near City Hall.
Witnesses say Metro Police traffic Capt. Carl Fruge was sitting on his motorcycle at the gas pumps when Officer Tanja Tavarez, a five-year veteran, was attacked by a man in a wheelchair.
An investigation is under way to determine why Fruge, a 19-year veteran and formerly a Metro spokesman, didn't step in to help the officer.
Capt. Frank Barker, who oversees the downtown substation where Tavarez works, said the roles of both officers are being investigated by Metro's Internal Affairs Bureau.
Tavarez, 29, had stopped the vagrant, who, although in a wheelchair, had full use of his upper body. During questioning, police said, the man attacked her. As she fought him off, she called for backup. Fruge, 43, did not step in.
Tavarez's thumb bone was chipped and she pulled some tendons in her hand trying to fend off the man. Two officers responded a few minutes later and helped Tavarez.
Witnesses reported to police that Fruge watched the attack. Afterward, he walked over to the officer and told her he would write a report on his account of the attack.
The officers' reports were completed and turned in to the downtown area command. Those reports, Barker said, have now been forwarded to Metro's Internal Affairs Bureau for review.
"Her account and his account are being reviewed," Barker said. "There are discrepancies in their reports -- allegations being made from one officer to the other. I'd like to not comment on it."
Fruge declined to discuss the incident. "That's going to be the subject of an investigation, so I can't comment," he said.
The suspect was arrested by backup patrol officers and Tavarez. If investigators determine that Tavarez suffered substantial bodily harm, the suspect will be charged with a felony. Otherwise, injury to an officer and resisting arrest are misdemeanors.
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Freddie Roach talks tough; Manny Pacquiao backs it up
- Live Main Event blog: Cada and Moon set to square off heads-up
- Commercial development in Las Vegas grinding to a halt, analyst says
- Ensign moves out of home on C Street
- County considers suing over travel Web site room taxes
- Cada and Moon emerge as Main Event’s final two
- Temperature to hit 80 today in Las Vegas
- Life in the Limelight: Wayne Newton
- Cities, county find buying valley homes isn’t easy
- UNLV wins hoops scrimmage at Long Beach State
Blogs
The Kats Report
Buchanan was one of the city's truly flamboyant characters
Sports: Upon Further Review
Fight snapshot: Reviewing "24/7 Pacquiao/Cotto," episode 3
The Kats Report
Life in the Limelight: Wayne Newton (4 Comments)
Politics: Ralston's Flash
An entire campaign in one mail piece for Harry Reid (5 Comments)
Miech Again
On the road to Long Beach, UNLV hoops style (13 Comments)
The Kats Report
Vocal strain prompts Wayne Brady to call off 'Making It Up' until 2010 (1 Comment)
The Greene Room
New Mexico soccer player goes MMA on BYU (16 Comments)
Calendar »
- 8 Sun
- 9 Mon
- 10 Tue
- 11 Wed
- 12 Thu
-
76 Trombones + 4 concert at Artemus Ham Hall
Artemus Ham Hall at UNLV | 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
-
The Smothers Brothers at The Orleans Showroom
The Orleans Showroom
-
Abbacadabra at The Las Vegas Hilton
Las Vegas Hilton
-
Roy Clark at The South Point Showroom
South Point Showroom
-
Zowie Bowie's Vintage Vegas Show at Monte Carlo
Lance Burton Theater
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati








