Grand jury indicts man accused of shooting at police

Thursday, May 7, 1998 | 10:07 a.m.

A fugitive out of Idaho Falls, Idaho, has been indicted by a Clark County Grand Jury on charges of shooting at Nevada Highway Patrol troopers during a high-speed pursuit and then crashing into a patrol car.

James H. Seek, 50, is charged with attempted murder, shooting into a vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon and failing to stop on the signal of a police officer. All counts in Wednesday's indictment are felonies.

Seek was wanted for a probation violation on a burglary charge, and had been classified by authorities in Idaho as dangerous.

The April incident began when an NHP trooper stopped a black Monte Carlo with Idaho plates for suspected drunken driving after observing the vehicle swerving along State Route 160 east of Pahrump, authorities said.

The driver had gotten out of the car at the trooper's request when the passenger slid behind the wheel and sped off eastbound, said Lt. Wayne Petersen of the Metro Police homicide unit, which investigates officer-involved shootings.

A second NHP unit spotted the Monte Carlo about 12 miles west of Interstate 15 and attempted to stop the vehicle, which was "wildly passing vehicles and running several cars off the road," Petersen said.

Seek is charged with pointing a handgun out of the Monte Carlo's sunroof while on Industrial Road and firing several rounds at pursuing officers. An officer stopping traffic at the intersection returned fire.

The chase ended 300 yards away when Seek's vehicle crashed into an NHP patrol car stopped in its path.

A .357-caliber Magnum that troopers found in the car was stolen, police said.

No one was reported injured in the shooting.