Teen arrested in fatal crash facing a murder charge

Erica D. Johnson

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 | 8:50 a.m.

A 16-year-old boy who allegedly was fleeing from police in a stolen car will face a murder charge in connection with the wreck that ended the chase.

A grand jury indictment unsealed Wednesday charges David Jerome Gatlin with four felonies, including murder with use of a deadly weapon and possession of a stolen vehicle in the Sept. 25 collision that killed Roberta Stroh, 57.

Gatlin is being held at the Clark County Detention Center with bail set at $1 million. He is scheduled to be arraigned before District Judge Joseph Bonaventure on Oct. 23.

Prosecutors say Gatlin was driving a stolen Toyota Camry and fleeing from Metro Police who suspected the teen had also tried to steal some belongings from a vehicle in an apartment complex near Brush Street and Alta Drive.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker said prosecutors decided on the murder charge because of the circumstances of Stroh's death. The murder charge also means the teen will be charged as an adult.

In Nevada, children 8 and older who are charged with certain crimes such as murder are automatically transferred to the adult system. Minors charged in other crimes must be certified as adults by a Juvenile Court Judge.

Gatlin's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Phil Kohn could not immediately be reached for comment.

Authorities say the incident began when two men at the Alpine Village Apartments on Brush between Alta and Charleston Boulevard spotted a group of teens boys trying to steal tools from a car.

Booker said the teens fled, but Gatlin later returned to the scene. By that time, police had arrived and Gatlin fled again when the men pointed to him as one of the teens who tried to steal the tools. Police took off after him in pursuit, Booker said.

Gatlin was traveling westbound on Alta when he allegedly ran a red light and hit Stroh, who was traveling northbound on Jones Boulevard. Booker said the teen was going about 80 mph when the collision occurred.

"It totally obliterated (Stroh's car)," Booker said. "There was only a piece of the vehicle left. She was dead instantly."

Booker said Gatlin has at least two prior convictions in the juvenile system, including battery with use of a deadly weapon charge and a robbery charge. Both charges were reduced and the teen was placed on probation, Booker said.

Police said the chase involving Gatlin was within Metro's vehicular pursuit policy, which was revised in March.

The policy says several factors need to be taken into consideration when pursuing suspects, including the seriousness of the crime, whether the need for the immediate apprehension of the suspect outweighs the dangers created by the chase, traffic conditions and weather.

When they were chasing Gatlin, police did not know he was in a stolen vehicle although they suspected it because the car did not bear a license plate, police have said.