Man to face charges in death at LV car wash

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Wednesday, March 23, 2005 | 11:40 a.m.

A 36-year-old chiropractor will face homicide charges in the death of a 60-year-old man he allegedly knocked down after a heated exchange at a car wash in an affluent Las Vegas neighborhood.

Lawrence Weiss, 60, died March 13 at University Medical Center, three days after he was pushed from behind and struck his head on a rack of propane tanks at the Fabulous Freddy's Car Wash at Fort Apache Road and Charleston Boulevard. Weiss was allegedly pushed by the husband of a woman with whom he had argued, identified as chiropractor Stephen B. Shaw, police said.

Clark County District Attorney David Roger said this morning his office is filing charges against Shaw of one count of second-degree murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter.

"It's a pretty sad case all the way around," Roger said this morning. "If you believe the defendant's statement, this man (Weiss) was yelling at his (Shaw's) wife and kids and he (Shaw) just lost it."

Shaw was described in the police report as 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 185 pounds. Weiss was 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 150 pounds, according to officials.

Roger said Shaw's attorney, Peter S. Christiansen, was scheduled to come to the district attorney's office later today to discuss plans for Shaw to voluntarily surrender rather than be arrested by police at his home or business.

The murder charge carries a possible penalty of 25 years to life in prison while the lesser charge carries a potential of one to six years behind bars.

Christiansen did not return repeated calls for comment.

The altercation at Fabulous Freddy's began when Weiss apparently believed he had been cut off in his car at the entrance by Shaw's wife, Raquel Shaw, Metro Police Lt. Tom Monahan said.

Weiss allegedly pulled open the door to the woman's BMW sport utility vehicle and "began to scream profanity at her and her children," according to the police report. Raquel Shaw called her husband at work "crying ... and stated she was frightened," the report continues. Stephen Shaw arrived at the scene and his wife pointed out Weiss, the report states.

Shaw "yelled profanity" at Weiss who walked away but was followed by the younger man, according to the report. Shaw pushed Weiss from behind, knocking him into the rack of propane tanks, according to the report.

Weiss suffered a fractured skull and died as a result of the head trauma, according to the Clark County coroner. Contacted at work Monday, an emotional Shaw said, "I'll just say I did what I did for my family. " He added that the situation was "absolutely terrible."

When asked if he had felt threatened by Weiss, Shaw said, "extremely," before declining further comment and referring calls to his attorney.

Robert Mirisch, executive director of the Second Chance Foundation, which encourages organ donations, witnessed the incident at Fabulous Freddy's. Mirisch was waiting for his own car to be returned from Fabulous Freddy's car wash shortly before 4 p.m. on March 11 when he noticed two men approaching on a concrete walkway.

"One man was walking away and the other man was behind, shouting at him," Mirisch said. "He was saying, 'Next time pick on somebody your own size,' and 'Look out who you call a bitch.' "

Mirisch said he then saw the younger man, identified by police as Shaw, push Weiss from behind. The older man fell forward and appeared to hit his head first on the metal cage holding the propane tanks and then on the ground.

He immediately began bleeding from his mouth and nose, Mirisch said, adding that paramedics were on the scene in less than five minutes.

"It was a terrible thing to see," Mirisch said. "I feel very bad for both of these families."

Shaw left the scene but returned when his wife contacted him by cell phone, Monahan said.

"She told him the police had arrived and wanted to speak with him," Monahan said. "He returned voluntarily."