Man killed while trying to cross U.S. 95 on foot

Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2000 | 10:39 a.m.

A man attempting to cross U.S. 95 in the northwest part of Las Vegas was struck by four cars and killed as he attempted to race across the car-filled northbound lanes of the freeway during rush hour Tuesday.

The man, believed to be in his late teens or early 20s attempted to cross the northbound lanes between the Smoke Ranch Road overpass and the Cheyenne Avenue exit.

He was struck by four cars, the last of which was driven by an off-duty Metro Police officer. The man was dragged across the freeway by the cars and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The man is believed to have jumped a block wall and a chain-link fence that runs along the eastern edge of the freeway separating it from the Catalina Shores Apartments, 2901 N. Rainbow Blvd.

Nevada Highway Patrol and Metro responded to the scene, with Metro detectives taking an active role in the investigation because of the off-duty officer's involvement in the accident. Freeways are generally under the jurisdiction of the highway patrol.

Investigators are unsure as to what caused the man to attempt to weave through traffic.

On May 26 a Michigan state trooper was killed when she attempted to cross Interstate 15 just north of the Flamingo Road exit. Trooper Dana Marie VanAdel, 35, is believed to have been hit by several cars and was dragged more than 200 feet as she attempted to cross the southbound lanes of the freeway at about 8:45 p.m.