Officer fires at truck that hits him

Monday, May 19, 2003 | 9:53 a.m.

A 17-year-old girl was charged with attempted murder and evading police after she allegedly tried to run down a Metro Patrol officer.

Lt. Tom Monahan said that as an officer responded to a fight at a party near Spring Mountain and Fort Apache roads about 12:20 a.m. Sunday, the driver of a truck with two people in it tried to strike the officer while leaving the scene.

The officer then drove around the area and spotted the truck that tried to hit him, Monahan said. Seeing the officer, the driver of the truck sped away, Monahan said, but it was finally stopped near a dead end.

As the officer approached the truck, it again took off, turning in a cul de sac and driving back toward the officer, police said. The truck struck the officer, Monahan said. The police officer fired his weapon at the fleeing truck. The officer was not seriously injured.

A roll of tire spikes was used to deflate the tires of the truck and stop it in its path, Monahan said. But before the truck stopped, it rammed a police car near Desert Inn Road and Fort Apache Road.

The 17-year-old, whose name was not released because she is a juvenile, was taken into custody, Monahan said. She is being held at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center.

A 16-year-old passenger was not arrested and was released into her parents' custody.

The officer has been placed on routine administrative leave and his name will be withheld for 48 hours per department policy, Monahan said.