Metro officer injured in collision

Jace Radke

Friday, Oct. 22, 1999 | 11:05 a.m.

A Metro Police officer following a motorist he thought was driving recklessly Thursday night was injured when his patrol car collided with another car leaving an apartment complex.

At about 10:30 p.m., the 38-year-old officer, whose name was not immediately released, was headed northbound in the 2700 block of North Rainbow Boulevard when, police say, a Chevrolet Cavalier pulled into his path.

Both drivers were taken to University Medical Center where the officer was treated and released. The name of the other driver was not immediately released, nor was her condition.

No citations were issued pending the results of further investigation.

"From the skid marks it looks like the Cavalier was turning left to head south on Rainbow and the two cars collided," Officer Julie Artau said.

The impact spun the patrol car completely around so that it was facing south, and sent the Cavalier careening up Rainbow's western sidewalk and into a cable television box.

"The officer looked like he was a little stunned, but one of my neighbors helped him out of his car," Ron Paja, a resident at the nearby Cayman Bay Apartments, said. "I went and turned off the woman's car."

The Las Vegas Fire Department responded to the scene and used hydraulic rescue tools known as the "jaws of life" to cut the woman out of her car.

The officer did not have his siren or lights on as he followed the reckless driving suspect, police said, noting it was not a pursuit but rather an officer closing in on the vehicle to determine if the motorist indeed was violating any laws.

The driver of that car later was questioned by police but not charged with reckless driving or any other violation, police said.