Police review case involving city attorney’s son

Sunday, June 6, 1999 | 9:28 a.m.

Supervisors said they want to know whether officers followed proper protocol in the case involving City Attorney Patricia Lynch's son, whose name was withheld because of his juvenile status.

Supervisors will review why officers didn't conduct complete field sobriety tests of the youth and a friend, and why officers didn't summon another police agency to investigate the accident.

"Part of the protocol is if an employee is involved, absolutely we do that (call another agency)," Deputy Chief Jim Johns said. "If it is a family member, we don't have to. If there was a potential for arrest, we probably would have."

Police did not arrest Lynch's son or his friend, Joseph Trainer, 18, saying they couldn't determine who drove Lynch's car into a ditch near Plumas Street. Police said both teen-agers were drunk.

Lynch's son and Trainer were out of the car when officers arrived, but neither admitted to driving the car and no physical evidence indicated which was the driver, Johns said.

Trainer was placed into civil protective custody, and Lynch was given custody of her son at the scene.

Lynch declined comment on the case.

Chief city prosecutor Bill Gardner said he expects police to submit a report on the case to his office next week.

He then will turn it over to the Washoe County District Attorney's Office, which will decide whether to charge either of the teens.

"Obviously, it wouldn't be handled by us," Gardner said. "It will not even be reviewed by our office."

The boys escaped injury in the accident.