Firefighters mourn loss of a colleague

Jen Lawson

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2003 | 8:20 a.m.

At 5 feet, 11 inches and 270 pounds of mostly muscle, firefighter Darron Van Dyke's nickname was "Big D."

A friend at the Clark County Fire Department says Van Dyke was "a quintessential firefighter," skilled in prying open wrecked cars to pull people out of them, urban search and rescue, and hazardous materials eradication.

"Big D" saved countless lives in his 13 years as a firefighter, his colleague said.

But on Friday, Van Dyke, 36, died as a result of injuries he suffered during an off-duty bar fight.

Lt. Tom Monahan of Metro Police's homicide unit said Monday that detectives investigated Van Dyke's death and plan to submit the case to the Clark County district attorney's office for them to determine what, if any, criminal charges should be filed against the man who allegedly punched him.

Firefighter Rich McKinnis, who met Van Dyke shortly after he joined the department, said: "I lost a good friend over something that didn't need to happen."

The incident occurred shortly before 11:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Hurricane Bar and Grill at 10430 S. Bermuda Road in southern Las Vegas, Officer Tina Ellison said.

Van Dyke was reportedly there with his fiancee. Van Dyke and a man allegedly got into an argument and another man reportedly punched Van Dyke once, authorities said.

Sadly, that was all it took.

"I think Muhammad Ali said that four pounds of pressure in the right place can knock anybody out," McKinnis said.

Firefighter Pete Bolognese, who knew Van Dyke his entire career with the department, said Van Dyke appeared unapproachable, but he was a really good-natured guy and didn't typically get in fights. But, he added, "when you're a larger person, people just like to test you."

Van Dyke was taken to University Medical Center, where firefighters gathered upon hearing the news. He appeared to be improving, friends said, so it was a shock when he died Friday morning.

"I didn't think it would happen," Bolognese said. "We lost a good partner and a good family member. The department is just a giant family and when you lose someone it hurts."

Van Dyke did have some actual family members with him in the department -- an uncle and cousin, Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said.

Van Dyke was a Las Vegas native who attended Western and Bishop Gorman high schools. Before joining the fire department in 1990, he fixed air-conditioning systems.

That expertise came in handy one summer day when Van Dyke and McKinnis went to a house to check on a report of smoke. Van Dyke checked the roof and discovered that the fan motor on the elderly woman's air-conditioner had burned out.

The woman appeared shocked when Van Dyke said it would probably cost several hundred dollars to fix.

"He told her, 'I'll be back tomorrow,' " McKinnis said. "He bought the fan motor, put it in and wouldn't take a dime for it. When he saw someone in true need, he responded to it."

McKinnis said Van Dyke also was a good father to his 7-year-old son, Brandt. He said he told the boy that "nobody can replace your dad, but you'll never be alone because we'll always be here for you."

Visitation will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Palm Mortuary-Eastern. A funeral service is scheduled for noon Thursday at the mortuary.