Police led on chase by man in water truck

Jen Lawson and Jace Radke

Monday, Feb. 16, 2004 | 11:24 a.m.

A man who stole a large construction water truck led officers from North Las Vegas, Metro and the Nevada Highway Patrol on a circuitous 30-minute chase this morning, spraying water on the highway behind him before jumping out and running into a building in Henderson where police arrested him.

The chase began about 8:35 a.m in North Las Vegas.

Officer Justin Roberts said a police officer spotted a man acting suspiciously, looking into cars parked at Gabe's bar at Las Vegas Boulevard and Fifth Street.

The man apparently noticed the officer watching him and jumped into a Lunas Construction water truck from a construction site next to the bar and drove off, Roberts said. The truck is used to spray water on construction sites to reduce ariborne dust.

The suspect led Metro and North Las Vegas officers through downtown Las Vegas at speeds of up to 50 mph, police said.

He drove the truck the wrong way down one way streets into oncoming traffic several times, prompting police to call off the ground chase and rely on police helicopters to track him from the air.

Troopers joined the chase when the man got onto Interstate 15 at Charleston Boulevard.

At I-15 and Lake Mead Boulevard, the man hit a switch that caused a large amount of water to spray all over the highway. The size of the water tank is estimated at about 1,000 gallons but it's not clear if the tank was full.

"The vehicle did unload its water on I-15, so we had a situation where it was spraying out in all directions and I think some citizens might have gotten a wash this morning," Metro Lt. Karen Hughes said.

Troopers used metal spikes to try to stop the truck, but because of its large wheels, the spikes had no effect, police said.

The suspect continued south on I-15 and exited at Saint Rose Parkway. He bailed out of the truck at RSC Rental Services and ran into the building, where he was arrested.

Roberts said the man is being taken to the North Las Vegas jail where he will be booked on charges of grand larceny auto, possession of a stolen vehicle and evading police.

That chase overlapped with another in the area of U.S. 95 near the Mount Charleston turnoff.

In that case, a speeding black Ford Mustang led Nevada Highway Patrol troopers onto Paiute tribal land this morning before getting out of the car and fleeing into the desert, where a trooper used a Taser gun on him.

A trooper who had been using radar on U.S. 95 just north of the Mount Charleston turnoff at 8:25 a.m. determined Brian Pearson, 35, was going 85 mph in a 70 mph zone. The trooper tried to pull him over but he didn't stop, Trooper Angie Wolff said.

Pearson exited U.S. 95 at the Snow Mountain Road exit and drove onto tribal land, but when Pearson headed up a dirt road, the trooper stopped chasing him and called for assistance because he was concerned about his safety, Wolff said.

Pearson soon came back down the dirt road and drove over metal spikes that troopers had placed on the ground. Two of his car's tires were punctured.

He began driving south on U.S. 95 but his car quickly became disabled. Pearson got out of the car and began walking into the desert, Wolff said.

Troopers told Pearson if he didn't stop he would be shot with a Taser stun gun. Moments later, a trooper used a Taser on him and took him into custody.

Pearson was charged with resisting arrest, failure to yield, speeding and other offenses.

Pearson told troopers he fled because he was distraught over family problems.