Fleeing driver shoots at officer

Keith Paul

Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001 | 10:34 a.m.

Henderson Police were searching for a man and a possible accomplice who shot at an officer several times today, striking his police car but not injuring the officer.

The truck the man was driving was found about 7:40 a.m. in the Green Valley Business Park, but the suspect was not located this morning, police said.

Officers continued searching an area around Sunset Road and Mountain Vista Street for the gunman and possibly a second suspect.

The officer, while driving behind a white F-150 pickup about 4 a.m. on Sunset Road near Eiger Way, ran a computer check on the license plate. The plate was registered to a different car, Officer Terry Bowler, a police spokesman, said.

The man continued on Sunset Road toward Sunset Way, and the officer turned on the police car's lights to pull the driver over.

"The suspect slowed down and acted like he was going to pull over, but then he made an abrupt U-turn and fired seven to nine rounds, striking the officer's vehicle at least four times," Bowler said. "The rounds hit the officer's door and front quarter panel."

Police believe there may have been a second person in the truck with the driver, Bowler said

The officer did not return fire but started to chase the truck, Bowler said. The police vehicle, a Chevrolet Tahoe, stalled after about 200 yards, likely because of damage from the bullets, Bowler said.

Henderson Police's SWAT team and other officers searched the area, including the Clark County School District bus yard nearby. Each bus was checked by officers before being allowed to leave to pick up students.

Two schools in the area, Thurman White Middle School and a Vo-Tech High School, were closed as police searched the area, but were allowed to open. Additional officers were put on campus this morning, Bowler said.

The truck found in the business center parking lot had been reported stolen, Bowler said.

The suspect was described as a white man, with long brown hair and possibly wearing a baseball cap. He also may have had tattoos on his arm.