Man charged in crash that killed Rebel Girl back behind bars

By Jean Reid Norman

Published Thursday, April 30, 2009 | 12:34 p.m.

Updated Thursday, April 30, 2009 | 3:44 p.m.

The man charged with driving under the influence in the death of UNLV Rebel Girl Lindsay Bennett was back in jail this morning after spending the night at home.

Vladimir Lagerev, 45, was mistakenly released from the Clark County Detention Center about 4 p.m. Wednesday, Metro Police spokeswoman Barbara Morgan said. He was sent home with an ankle bracelet that tests for alcohol consumption and tracks his whereabouts, she said.

He was called back to the jail this morning and was booked again about 11:30 a.m., Morgan said.

“The judge was livid when she learned that the prisoner had been released,” said Erin McAloon, court clerk for Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle, who had set bail of $250,000 for Lagerev.

Morgan said a court order had been filed with the jail to release Lagerev on $250,000 bail with the ankle bracelet, but because of an employee error, Lagerev was released without posting the bail. The error is being investigated, she said.

“Errors happen. We are human,” Morgan said. “They don’t happen very often, but this is a huge facility, and errors happen.”

Lagerev hit Bennett, 18, a 2008 Coronado High School graduate, head-on about 9:30 p.m. April 15 while driving the wrong way on an off-ramp to Interstate 215 at Windmill Lane, according to an arrest report. Bennett died two days later at University Medical Center.

Stephen Stein, Lagerev’s attorney, said he was surprised to learn of the release.

“I thought maybe someone had posted his bail,” he said. “I figured it was a mistake and they would correct it today.”

When Lagerev’s wife called Stein this morning and said the jail wanted Lagerev to return, Stein told her he had to go.

Morgan said that, because of the ankle bracelet, police knew where to find Lagerev. “We always knew where he was,” she said.