Pedestrian lodged in windshield, then dragged

Heather Rawlyk

Tuesday, June 22, 2004 | 11:08 a.m.

A 52-year-old man was in critical condition this morning after he was struck by a vehicle Monday night and carried about 400 feet while stuck in the windshield before rolling off the vehicle and being backed over and dragged for several feet on Flamingo Road near Paradise Road.

The driver of the car and his passenger ran from the scene and were caught by witnesses who held them until Metro Police arrived.

The driver, Christopher Ramirez, 24, of Las Vegas, was charged with driving under the influence and hit-and-run.

Fatu Taputu of Las Vegas was struck by Ramirez's silver Toyota Corolla as he crossed Flamingo Road at Palos Verdes Street, outside of a crosswalk, just after 10 p.m., police said.

Police said Ramirez tried to stop the car before hitting Taputu.

The impact of the collision sent Taputu into the car's windshield, Metro Traffic Sgt. Frank Weigand said.

With Taputu on the car, Ramirez sped off before he pulled into a restaurant parking lot and bumped into the front end of a parked, white Kia, police said.

Taputu was thrown onto the hood of the Kia and rolled off to the ground, underneath the front of the Toyota, Weigand said. Ramirez then put the Toyota into reverse and dragged Taputu several feet before stopping, he said.

Ramirez and his passenger, Guadalupe Saldana, 23, of Las Vegas, left Taputu lodged under the Corolla and ran, Weigand said. Several witnesses caught up with the two men and held them until police arrived.

Taputu was transported by ambulance to University Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition Monday night. Paramedics said Taputu's heart stopped twice on the way to the hospital, but they were able to revive him, Weigand said.

Taputu's injuries were "extremely critical," Weigand said. "We're talking major head injury among other things."

Weigand said Ramirez should have stopped as soon as he hit Taputu and tried to help him.

"If it was pedestrian error, all this young man would have gotten would be a misdemeanor DUI," Weigand said. "Instead, he has a felony hit-and-run, and attempt to flee the scene with a DUI on top of that."

Ramirez was taken to UMC and treated for minor injuries. He was then taken to Clark County Detention Center and charged with driving under the influence and hit-and-run.

Adrian Cortez, 45, of Las Vegas, said he was waiting at a bus stop across the street when he heard a giant "thump."

Cortez said he stood up and saw the Toyota, driving down Flamingo Road with a man stuck inside the windshield.

"I couldn't believe it," Cortez said. "I saw the car make a turn into the parking lot with the body on top of it and then it hit the other car and the guy flew onto the hood of that one. I couldn't see the man anymore and then realized he was under the car."

Cortez said he ran to the parking lot and saw two men in their 20s jump out of the Toyota and attempt to leave the parking lot.

"One of the guys said 'I'm just the passenger' and tried to walk past me," he said. "Then a limo driver tackled him and held him until police arrived."

Brian and Nora McKeon of Charlotte, N.C., were chatting with friends in a nearby parking lot when they heard the man hit the windshield.

"I saw a girl and a guy crossing the street and they were right in the middle, but there was a car coming," Nora McKeon said. "The girl saw the car and stepped back, but the man kept walking.

"The car hit the man and then it just kept driving. We ran to the parking lot where they stopped and saw the boys trying to run away. That's when my husband and another man stopped them."

Brian McKeon, a retired law enforcement officer who used to live in Las Vegas, said he refused to allow the men to flee the scene.

"I just thought, 'They're not getting away with this,' and tried to stop them," McKeon said. "I helped hold them up until police got here. It was the right thing to do."

The owner of the white Kia, who did not give his name, stood in front of his vehicle and shook his head.

"Would you believe this is my wedding night?" he said. "I just got married today at the Rio."

The wedding party, all from California, stood in suits and dresses in the parking lot until officers allowed them to take their vehicle.

"Of all the cars," the groom said. "Of all the nights."