Truck driver accused of hitting off-duty Metro officer indicted

Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005 | 10 a.m.

A truck driver who is accused of hitting an off-duty Metro Police officer bicycling in Red Rock Canyon and leaving the accident scene was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday on a new charge of possession of guns by a felon.

The indictment said that 27-year-old Michael Warren Reich of Las Vegas had two handguns, four rifles and a shotgun found by authorities searching his home during the investigation of a crash involving Officer Don Albietz.

Albietz died on July 29 at University Medical Center where he had been since the July 20 collision with a tractor-trailer along State Route 159 in Red Rock Canyon.

Reich had a March 200 felony drug conviction in Wisconsin. He was arrested by Metro Police on July 23 and charged with felony hit-and-run and several misdemeanors.

Reich is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on these charges before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle on Thursday morning.

If Reich is convicted on the federal charge, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine separate from any actions taken in state court.

Federal laws prohibit possession of firearms by felons, fugitives, people addicted to controlled substances, people judged as mental defectives, people unlawfully in the United States and anyone dishonorably discharged from the armed forces.

Those under a domestic violence restraining order and anyone convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence crime are also prohibited from possessing guns.

Reich is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Lawrence Leavitt on Aug. 23 at 3 p.m. for initial hearing, arraignment and plea in the federal case.