Series of carjackings, assaults ends in Jean

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 | 11:08 a.m.

A 21-year-old woman is being held in the Clark County Detention Center this morning following a series of hit-and-run collisions, two carjackings and a chase that ended in Jean, where she allegedly stole a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper's cruiser, police said.

Mischa Meeks was charged with numerous felonies, including robbery, battery on a police officer and assault with a deadly weapon following the Monday afternoon rampage that began about 4:25 p.m.

Metro Police began receiving calls about several hit-and-run collisions in the area of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue and continued south before the car became disabled, Robbery Lt. Ted Snodgrass said.

At the Venetian Meeks attempted to pull two people off a moped, then tried to get into two vehicles on Las Vegas Boulevard. Then she opened the door of another vehicle, pulled the driver out and drove off, Snodgrass said.

She continued south on Las Vegas Boulevard, driving erratically, running several vehicles off the road and driving on the wrong side of the road, police said.

Meeks allegedly drove about 30 miles down Las Vegas Boulevard, also known as State Route 604, police said.

When she reached Jean, Meeks deliberately hit another vehicle, police said, disabling the stolen car she was driving. After that police said she tried to get into the car she hit.

An NHP trooper gassing up his patrol car saw this and attempted to arrest Meeks, Snodgrass said, but she ignored his commands and ran. The trooper chased her, and she circled around and ran toward the patrol vehicle. The trooper used his Taser on Meeks but it had no effect, police said.

While Meeks and the trooper struggled, she was able to get the patrol car into gear and accellerated with the trooper hanging onto the driver side door, Snodgrass said.

The trooper fell to the ground and Meeks continued south for about an eighth of a mile on State Route 604, through the Gold Strike parking lot.

Trooper Angie Chavera said Meeks drove the cruiser through some trees and shrubs then into a a ditch and a tree.

The trooper once again caught up with Meeks and he broke out the cruiser's window, Snodgrass said. She then hit the trooper with a plastic flashlight, Snodgrass said.

It took the trooper, a state correctional officer who spotted the trouble and a citizen to capture the 5-foot, 7-inch woman, Snodgrass said.

Meeks has a prior arrests on drug charges and assault on a police officer, police said.