Man in stolen cab leads police on chase through LV

Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2005 | 11:27 a.m.

A man who allegedly carjacked a yellow cab led Metro Police on an almost half-hour chase through the southeast valley this morning before crashing into other vehicles at one of the busiest intersections in the valley, officers said.

Police said the man, whose name and age were not available this morning, stole the taxi from its driver near McCarran International Airport this morning. The taxi's driver, who police said was left behind when the man stole the taxi, was not injured.

The man who allegedly took the cab then led police on a circuitous chase before crashing into two vehicles on Tropicana Avenue at Paradise Road at 9:49 a.m., police said.

People who were in those cars appeared to suffer severe injuries, police on the scene said. Traffic was backed up around the crash scene, and about 10:40 a.m. police asked dispatchers to advise airport officials that there was "going to be a lot of people missing their flights."

Although officers in patrol cars initially chased the yellow cab, they backed off, as per Metro Police policy, once the police helicopter was above the car and able to follow it from the air.

Near the airport connecter tunnel, an officer was able to puncture at least one of the cab tires with a stop-stick.

Nevertheless, the driver of the cab continued to drive recklessly at times, reaching speeds of up to 70 mph, driving on sidewalks and shoulders of roadways and weaved in between other vehicles, according to police.

More details were not available this morning.