Metro probes shooting incident

Keith Paul

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2000 | 11:13 a.m.

Detective Don Evans was identified Tuesday by Metro Police as the officer who fired two shots at the driver of a sport utility vehicle on Saturday.

The incident will be reviewed by the department's use-of-force board to determine if it was within Metro's policy. Evans, 34, has been with Metro for seven years and is currently assigned to the gang unit.

The shooting occurred Saturday about 8:30 p.m. in the parking lot of a convenience store at Charleston Boulevard and Honolulu Streets. The driver, 39-year-old Jon Stevenson, was not injured, police said.

Evans and another gang detective first saw the vehicle parked in front of the store near several known gang members, police said. The two detectives later saw the 1996 Kia Sportage parked behind the store and went to question the driver.

Evans stood near the Kia as the other detective talked to Stevenson. Police said during the conversation the detective decided Stevenson was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. An open beer container was spotted. The detective opened the driver's side door, and Stevenson then started the vehicle and sped off, police said.

Evans was apparently knocked off balance as he was standing in front of the Kia's open door, police said. Evans fired two shots that hit the vehicle.

Before he was caught, Stevenson drove west off the street, crashing through a chain-link fence in the back yard of a home and then through another fence before he tried to escape on foot, police said.

He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of driving while intoxicated, evading a police officer, obstructing a police officer and assault with a deadly weapon.