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twitterPedestrian dies in collision with police car
Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009 | 11:14 a.m.
A 61-year-old man was struck and killed by a Metro Police patrol car on its way to a burglary in progress in the eastern valley at about at 12:50 a.m. Saturday, police said.
The pedestrian was crossing Nellis Boulevard south of Rita Drive when a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria driven by a 24-year-old Las Vegas police officer was in the left lane on Nellis. The pedestrian crossed the boulevard east to west outside a crosswalk, police said.
The patrol car wasn't able to stop in time and struck the pedestrian, police said. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Neither the identity of the pedestrian nor the police officer was released. The officer suffered minor injuries, police said.
The Clark County coroner's office will release the identity of the pedestrian. Police are still investigating this incident.
Discussion: 16 comments so far…
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I was at the scene when my very good friend got struck. I understand that Metro was going to a burglary call. What I don't understand is...going at that rate of speed, how could they have stopped even if he was at the crosswalk? He was hit so hard that he was thrown at least 300 feet! Do they not have speed limits while traveling on the back roads late at night? Would this 24 year old police officer be going that fast if our schools were letting out? This was senseless!!!!
No, what's senseless is someone crossing a busy street outside of a crosswalk -- and not watching for oncoming cars.
I constantly travel Nellis and can't believe how many people jaywalk and just assume cars are going to stop for them. I'm surprised more jaywalkers don't get hit.
Well at 12:50am not many schools are letting kids out priscillamar. And that is the reason he should have been in the crosswalk, when the light would have been red for the cop, who would slow down and check before going through a stop light. People are stupid in this city about crossing the street. When I hear a siren and see flashing lights on a car, I dont run out in the road, but maybe thats why Im not the focus of a story like this.
First and foremost my thoughts and prayers go out to the officer who struck and killed my father.Regardless of whether MY FATHER WAS IN A CROSSWALK OR NOT HE STILL IS GONE.FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALIKE LOST A VERY RESPECTFUL MAN.ITS A DARN SHAME WHEN PEOPLE JUST CAN'T SAY ANYTHING POLITE,SUCH AS NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED A LOVED ONE WAS TAKEN, AND BEING A CHRISTAIN I'M TAUGHT TO PRAY FOR THAT FAMILY. THAT GOD NO MATTER WHAT GOD YOU BELIEVE IN TO LAY HIS HEALING HAND ON THEM IN THIER TIME OF NEED.TO MY FATHERS FRIENDS WHO READ THIS THANK YOU FOR BEING HIS FRIEND KEEP YOUR MEMORIES OF HIM AND CELEBRATE HIS LIFE THAT'S WHAT HE WOULD DO AND WANT.
This is a horrible loss for our family. Please do not post any rude comments. Our father was a good man and he will be deeple missed by us all, esp. our mother! We would appreciate the time we need to grieve. Please respect our privacy.
Priscilla, I am sure you meant well, we will meet this week.
To the family my thoughts and prayers.
Lights? Siren? If metro was traveling so fast that stopping in time was not possible, he better have had his lights and sirens on. Careless disregard for life.
Since when has metro EVER responded to a burglary in this fashion? Had to have been a business that was being broken into... just a house and you have to wait 3 hours for a response. I have been there for that. The only thing that matters in this town and state is the almighty buck. Screw the private citizen.
My sympathies to the family.
I see this from both sides. My husband has been a police officer with Metro for 15 years and I am also in law enforcement. My long time friend, since middle school, father was the one who was killed in this terrible accident. It doesn't matter who's fault it is. It doesn't matter if he was out at 1:00 in the morning or if he was out of a crosswalk. The point being, is that a good man who was loved by his children, family and friends is gone and they are completely devastated and are trying to figure out how to live without him. On the other hand, do you really think that police officer, no matter how old he is, went home, kicked off his shoes, sat down on the couch, had a beer and said, "just another night at work." No, believe it or not officers are people too, have feelings and compassion and he will remember January 17, 2009, along with the decease's family for the rest of his life. To the rest of the commenters who are so quick to write their judgments and give their two cents, think about if this was you and/or your family regardless in what role, how you would feel.
To my friend and her family, your father will always be with you and has always loved you. May the good memories comfort you during this time of sorrow.
I don't understand the title to this story. If someone is shot is it worded "man dies in collision with bullet?"
The headline should be Cop speeding to a crime kills innocent pedestrian. I am sure he didn't mean to but he did. The way this is worded makes it sound like the pedestrian got a running start and ran into a parked car.
Anyways, my thoughts and prayers are with the family, what a terrible and sad thing for them to go through.
That cop should be fired. He will just go to kanergoo court and get off.
"That cop should be fired."
Why? Because he couldn't stop in time for a jaywalker? Cops aren't allowed to speed to a crime? They always have to do so with lights and siren?
Judging from the "kanergoo" part of your post, I'm guessing your drinking problem gets in the way of you respecting police officers. At all.
I feel for the family of the deceased. I feel for the officer who has to live with killing an innocent.
Be that as it may, it's 1 AM, that means it's dark. And I bet there was a crosswalk less than 100 ft away. Simply put this didn't have to happen. And until someone proves the cop was doing something illegal, you can't blame him. I have to honestly say that I stopped jaywalking after I got a car... because I figured out that cars might not see you in time or at all.
First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the man killed. Regardless of fault it's never easy to lose a loved one, especially in such a violent way. You and yours have my sincerest condolences.
I too see both sides of this. In my experience in Vegas, as well as other metrpopolitan areas, the speed at which police and other emergency vehicles responding to a call is more or less proportionate to what time of day it is. If it's late morning or midday, the speeds are generally slower and more caution is taken. If it's late at night the speeds are generally higher. This doesn't absolve the officer in any way, it should just be kept in mind when the conditions of this awful event are pieced together.
I also learned long ago that pedestrians should generally not take anything for granted, and definitely not in Las Vegas. Do not assume cars see you, or will stop for you even if they do. Very few drivers yield the right of way any more, and anyone who crosses a street around here should do so defensively.
My guess is that the officer involved was going way too fast for the circumstances, and that the victim took his safety for granted when crossing. A senseless event from both perspectives.
All things considered, a tragedy all the way around. Regardless of who's at fault in this incident, we should be a little more sensitive to the loss of life here and not throw out the "what do you expect" statements so flippantly.
Again my thoughts and prayers to the family of the deceased.
Its amazing that every has generated an opinion without even knowing the basic facts. The officer was traveling with his red lights and siren activated enroute to a felony in progress call. The pedestrian walked out in front in the patrol car with it's emergency equipment on and as a result died.
Where does that justify firing the officer?
Is there code 2 driving in the state? If he did not have both the lights and siren on, he is likely going to jail, then fired too, then the department gets sued. Its a thankless job. Cops are not above the law but many think they are.
One shouldn't be jaywalking never the less.
vigilance