Three officers cleared in shootings

Keith Paul

Thursday, March 30, 2000 | 11:03 a.m.

Three Metro Police officers' actions during shootings earlier this year were determined to be within department guidelines by a use-of-force board this week.

The seven-member board -- composed of four citizens and three officers -- voted unanimously Monday night in the two shooting incidents that involved the three officers, Deputy Chief Ray Flynn said.

Officers Robert Johnson and Williams Wilson fired shots at Mark J. Simonich Jan. 16 after a car chase that ended on Interstate 95. Simonich got out of his truck with a gun in his hand and pointed it at the officers, police said.

After the incident, evidence technicians picked up Simonich's gun and found out it was a BB gun replica of a semi-automatic handgun. Simonich, who survived the shooting, told FBI agents he was trying to commit suicide by forcing a situation where the officers would shoot him, Flynn said.

Sgt. Clint Robison also was cleared Monday by the board for shooting at armed robbery suspects during the attempted heist of a coin truck on Jan. 26. Robison missed the suspects, but hit their car. Two of the suspects got out of the car, one holding a gun, and approached a coin truck driver, police said.

Robison, part of a group of detectives that had the suspects under surveillance, fired a shot from a shotgun after the suspect with the handgun started pistol whipping the driver. All the suspects were taken into custody and charged, police said.

In a previous meeting on March 1, the board met and ruled that the Jan. 6 shooting by Officer Brian Glitch was within department guidelines, Flynn said.

Glitch shot a 16-year-old male after the officer was dragged a short distance by the teen's car. Glitch said he saw the teen conduct a suspected drug deal in the parking lot of a convenience store. The teen got into the driver's seat of the car, and Glitch walked over to the car, police said.

Glitch reached into the car to get the keys to prevent the teen from driving off. The teen was accused of putting the car into gear and driving off with Glitch hanging out of the window, police said. The teen survived his wounds.

If officers are found in violation of guidelines for a shooting or other use of force, they can face punishment ranging from a written reprimand to being fired, Flynn said.

Keith Paul covers crime and public safety for the Sun. He can be reached at (702) 259-4057 or by e-mail at keith@lasvegassun.com