Police corral suspected rustler

Jace Radke

Friday, May 12, 2000 | 11:13 a.m.

A suspected rustler who started out on horseback and then turned to his own fleet feet, eluded Metro Police for nearly an hour Thursday as he dashed across the desert.

It took two helicopters, multiple police officers and a police dog to finally run down the speedy 21-year-old man accused of stealing a horse.

This morning Chad Jordan was in the Clark County Detention Center, charged with grand larceny (related to the horse), grand larceny auto, possession of stolen property and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

The chase started when police got a call from a resident who saw Jordan riding a horse northwest of Las Vegas off Kyle Canyon Road near Scottie Street. The resident told police that he recognized the horse, and that it had been stolen from his neighbor, police said.

When police arrived in the desert area around Kyle Canyon Road about 5 p.m., they found Jordan riding a horse. Police said Jordan rode away from them for a short time before jumping off and fleeing on foot away from the pursing officers.

For nearly an hour the man eluded pursuing officers. At one point, he stopped and pulled some rocks out of his shoe. He stopped again to put on some lip balm and again to pick up a stick.

Officers running after him were eventually assisted in the chase by a Metro helicopter tracking the man's movements in the hope he would tire.

But the man wouldn't stop running, prompting one officer to report over his radio, "He's running like a maniac."

K-9 Sgt. Todd Fasulo and Officer Duwayne Layton were called to the area in the hopes that their dogs could help.

"It was typical uneven desert terrain, but that didn't stop him from running all over the place," Fasulo said.

Another helicopter was called out and Layton and his Dutch shepherd, Rex, climbed inside to so they could be lifted into position.

The helicopter dropped the two off near Jordan, who finally gave up, Fasulo said.

The horse, valued at $10,000, was returned to its owner, David Reymore.