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Police release 911 calls that preceded officer’s fatal crash
Recordings include two calls from teenage girl
Friday, May 22, 2009 | 3:38 p.m.
Audio Clip
- This is the first call made to 911 by a teenage girl regarding a domestic violence incident.
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- This is the second call made to 911 by a teenage girl regarding a domestic violence incident.
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- After the call was disconnected, the 911 dispatcher called back and spoke to the teenage girl's mother.
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Calvin Darling
Sun archives
- Police: Officer killed in crash drove 109 mph with no lights, sirens (5-20-2009)
- Financial help coming for officer’s daughter (5-18-2009)
- Community mourns police officer killed in crash (5-15-2009)
- Traffic delays likely for Metro officer’s funeral (5-15-2009)
- Funeral services planned for officer killed in crash (5-11-2009)
- Accused driver’s attorney in fatal police crash speaks out (5-11-2009)
- Driver in fatal crash with officer wasn’t drunk, to be released (5-8-09)
Metro Police released today three 911 calls made by a 14-year-old girl who said her step-father was beating her, prompting Officer James Manor to respond and become involved in a fatal crash.
Manor was killed early on May 7 as he traveled east on Flamingo Road, reaching a speed of 109 mph without emergency lights or siren, before colliding with 45-year-old Calvin Darling, who was turning left onto Ravenwood Drive in his pickup truck.
The girl in the first domestic violence call told a dispatcher that her step-dad struck her and promised to do it again.
"He started beating me," the girl says. "He said if I called the cops, he'd beat my ass."
She said that the step-dad had left with her little sister to pick up her mother.
In the second call, the girl sounds hysterical: "He's going to hit me even more," she tells the dispatcher.
The girl said that she had locked the front door. Seconds later, a deep voice asks twice, "Who are you on the phone with?"
Each of the first two calls lasts about a minute and break off abruptly. Police said that the phone line was busy both times when a dispatcher tried to recall.
The third recall is answered by a woman and is the longest at 6 minutes, 37 seconds.
An adult woman explains that she is the girl's mother and that she just got out of a hospital. "My daughter has anger issues," the woman said, "very, very bad ones."
The girl, who can be heard crying in the background, has no black eye and a scrape on the arm, which she did to herself, the woman said.
The girl is bi-polar and has been thrown out of the woman's brother's home and her grandmother's home, the woman said.
The girl's dad is "in prison" and the woman divorced him, she told the dispatcher. The step-dad is not in the house, the woman said, responding "I don't know," when asked by the dispatcher if she knows where he is.
The step-dad and little sister had picked up the mother at a hospital then dropped the woman and 7-year-old girl at home. "I just got out of the hospital, for chrissake," she said.
"I want to get my daughter help," the mother said to the dispatcher. The mother had arranged an appointment at a local mental health clinic for the following Monday, she told the dispatcher.
The dispatcher kept the woman on the phone, as sirens wail in the background.
The woman described how the teenage girl had broken "everything in my bathroom" and destroyed other objects in the apartment.
"Nobody has beaten her," the mother said, explaining that the girl's eyeliner made her eyes black and that she had scraped her own arm.
The crash between Officer Manor, 28, and Darling, who was arrested for drunken driving until his blood alcohol results showed that he was under the legal limit, occurred at 12:49 a.m., police said.
No charges have been filed against Darling at this time.
"We will not be releasing any further information related to this call at this time, as we still have an ongoing internal investigation," a police statement said.
A second officer following in another patrol car has had his actions reviewed, police said today. "At this time there is nothing to substantiate the need for formal discipline," the police said.
Sheriff Doug Gillespie said Wednesday that a committee of executive staff members established to look into the police department's emergency response policy is underway.
All officers, including the second policeman following Manor, will be required to take any new training that emerges from the committee, Gillespie said.
The sheriff said he had already sent a memo to all officers about the incident. All Metro Police officers will be required to adhere to any new policy changes.
Discussion: 42 comments so far…
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The girl sounds scared on the tape! This was not a big hokes as stated before. From what I heard she was really scared and you can hear fear in her voice. The teen may need some emotional help. Who would not with a father in prison and a mother that keeps passing her around from place to place. The fear was very real to her. This mother sounded uncaring and dismissive of the feelings of the daughter. I hope she finds a caring home before its too late for her.
why would they release the tapes? oh yeah to defer responsibility from the cops dangerously speeding without lights or sirens to a mentally ill girl, wow another black eye for las vegas.
That giant slamming sound is Gillespie shutting the barn door after the horse escaped. "All Metro Police officers will be required to adhere to any new policy changes." Really, Doug? Really???
Just what the hell was required of them before? Endangering others in reckless response to a 911 call? Lying to cover another officer's a$$? Or the good sheriff himself defaming a citizen without knowing all the facts?(and I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt here).
Metro's credibility is in the toilet and only a thorough flushing is going to restore faith to the taxpayers. In the meantime it stinks to high heaven.
Despicable
Why is there no information on the specific time of the individual calls! Did the second call come 10 minuets after the first, like the scared young girl indicated? Was it 30 minuets later for the third call...the time the abuser's "wife" said he had fled? 10+30=40 and we are driving at 109? To be TOO late to stop the assault!
Did Metro ever arrest the "step dad" like the law mandates?
Metro screwed up! Please ask me to pay more taxes so we can have more of this...joke!
when you fail to discipline the lying SOB you impugn the integrity of the few good cops...if I were you guys (the few good ones) I would demand that that weasel be prosecuted.
"A second officer following in another patrol car has had his actions reviewed, police said today. "At this time there is nothing to substantiate the need for formal discipline," the police said."
Crybaby Stuart Bowman lies his way out of the jam. No further formal disciple for a cop who sped down Flamingo at over 100mph without lights or siren in clear violation of departmental policy and the law. No formal discipline for lying about the lights and sirens, leading to an arrest report with a lie. One thing is clear, Gillespie must go.
Darling did nothing wrong and actually tried to put the fire out and save Manor's life. Bowman broke the law and lied. Yet Darling's name has been trashed by Gillespie and Bowman walks away without even a slap on the wrist. Again, Gillespie must go.
Gillespie can go ONLY after he PUBLICLY apologizes to the taxpayers and Calvin Darling and his family. No easy outs for this sorry excuse for a cop, let alone a Department Head who is supposed to lead by example. As for Stuart Bowman, the crap he falsely reported is now sticking to every honorable Metro Officer's badge. The solution? In the military we called it a blanket party!
All these people criticizing Metro are full of it...Had it been their own emergency the police were responding to they would keep their mouths shut cuz they would want the help there as quickly as possible. Unfortunately an accident occured en route to this call, but had Mr Darling been paying attention while driving he would've waited for the speeding vehicles to pass before trying to "beat them."
And to make it like the Metro is trying to push the blame off on an mentally ill girl, she should be punished for her actions she knows what she did was wrong and saying otherwise would be ridiculous...People now-a-days are too quick to lift blame away from a suspect just because they are underage, but in reality more and more crime is being caused by these youngsters and people wanting to point the finger at police departments or higher ups cuz they can't handle their own problems in their own households
DaSCKid -
The only crime commited in this case was by the two policeman speeding at 109 mph at night without lights or sirens.
Stuart Bowman should be charged, and disciplined for speeding. If found guilty of lying he should be arrested, thrown in jail and fired. Gillespie should be fired as well.
When the cops are becoming the criminals, it is time to clean house.
Dasckid: Your a D U M B A S S!
The girl felt threatened so she called for help.
Mr Darling was driving home when out of no where came a speeding bullet the size of a squad car.
Don't try an fault the victims of Metro's mistakes and slander.
"People now-a-days are too quick to lift blame away from a suspect just because they are underage,"
suspect?? Since when did we start referring to citizens as suspects? I suspect since you joined metro. huh!!
You guys are not above the Law! Taxpaying citizens fund your whole operation..
The first problem is the officer traveling at (109 M.P.H.)!!!!! If he had only driven (54.5 M.P.H.) He would have made his destination with out injury to others and himself.
If I was stopped by a cop and he asked me why I was speeding, there would not be an acceptable reason "no matter what" and then the lecture and the ticket.
If the law enforcer cannot follow the law, they are worthless to all of us citizens and if they are going to break the laws, "no matter what the reason" WE NEED TO REPLACE THEM WITH HONEST COPS.
It happens to many times that law enforcement thinks and beleives they are above the ordinary requirments of "law of ordinary citizens".
I know ("HONEST COPS"!!!!!!!!) Hey it is possible I do know a few of them!!!!!!!
As for the caller, get her help!!!!!!
If the cop drove a reasonable speed he would be alive today................
Half the speed of NASCAR on city streets is not reasonable.. "COP OR NOT" !!!!!!
I don't get this... the tapes are not time stamped for one. The daughter that called said the dad had just left 5-10 minutes ago, and the mom says the step-dad has been gone about an hour?? Surely, the ambulance should have been there, as well as an Officer.. I thought the first dispatcher said she was sending medical help as well. Why is hospital checkout time in the middle of the night? And why are kids up so late at night, especially a 7 year old and on a school night....?
Sad, sad, sad. I think the officer was just in a hurry to help a child he thought was being abused. Unfortunately, it cost this man his life and the ruin of another man's reputation. 2UAll is right, that type of speed is not acceptable for non-law enforcement people and they would get ticketed or jailed. Hopefully this will cause Metro to step up their game and take some of the tarnish off their reputation.
I'm just heartbroken that the little girl now has no father.
Gillespie much have quite a history for the lynch mob to be out like this.
The cops violated the dept. policies....it's not like he can babysit each one of them while they are on duty.
Metor for god's sakes are you trying to create a diversion or what.It does not matter if the call was fake or real,your officers were out of line(yes trying to do there best)but still out of line.Yes this young lady has issues,you have your mother tell you because of a fake call an officer lost his life (not right).That's why they're called accidents,it just happened.I was really surprised to hear you are not holding Officer Bowman accountable, I'm disappointed,an officer who covered something up and gets caught,it sounds like you can just write anything on these reports truth or not.how often has that happened.Next time you go to testify in court against a person if I heard your name called as a witness to the fact I would listen and probably dismiss everything you said.Your integrity is in question,maybe you need to come forward and make a statement so we the people can understand.I'm not the type of person to bash Metro because if I ever needed help I know they would be there,I do have respect for the job they face everyday and yes it's their choice and thank god we have as many as we do,and yes we know they're not perfect either.We're upset with a few ,we deserve answers your are public servants.
A dedicated officer responds to a scared, teenager that he felt was being beaten by her stepdad and the cop is to BLAME? Give me a break! This teenage girl needs to be held responsible for being a drama queen and abusing the 911 call system. A man dies trying to save a lying girl that has "Issues" yea, she has issues, it's called, "I need attention and the cost of a human life, issues" This girl needs to be punished for her need for attention and the false 911 call that costs a cop his life. She will go on to create more havoc and his family will never spend another Christmas with him again... ever. I hope she is happy with her drama-queen self. Her mom probably asked her to clean her room and she was so mad she created this whole web of lies.
My heart goes out to the officer that died so that we may be safe from stupid teenagers that need discipline.
mike123-
It was Gillespie who jumped the gun and smeared a citizen with false allegations. As sheriff he needs to lead by example and be held to a higher standard than any other cop under his command.
DaSCKid -
Nobody is smearing all metro cops, just upset with the ones in this case who totally disregarded their training and common sense (and with Bowman, his integrity). They did more to tarnish Metro's reputation than 1,000 posts on the subject could ever do. Just wearing a badge makes you a good cop like standing in a garage makes you a good car. It's what's behind the badge that matters.
All this talk about LEO not doing their job and John Q Public loosing respect for LEO is why the under world controls the hood. If LEO continues down this path the citizens will never use crime stoppers in the hood, and LEO will forever be looked at as the enemy of the peeps in the hood.
This incident along with all the past public relations fiascos are lowering the integrity of LEO in Clark County. All of LEO managers know once integrity with John Q. Public is lost you can never fully regain it to its past highest level.
For any LEO trying to support the failed performance of the department, stop, you are only making matters worse in the eyes of the public. Any of Darling's detractors, along with all the rest of the extended LEO family, brothers, and sisters you need to do some serious soul searching and introspection after our loss of Officer James Manor (RIP) so we can glorify his loss in an honorable way of upholding the law and protecting our public.
It would be nice to wish for, and get the things we want to be. There was once a time like that; then because of the lack of rapid communications and technology, evidence could be arranged to favor an out come. Those day are long gone, today is a new day, one where data rules over humane desires to sway opinion. The truth is more relevant today than ever before, because of technology (solid state, integrated circuits and the inter-net) and its use.
Leave your old ways in the past, evolve to the 21st century, you will be much better for it as will the public with better service. It may take several years for Mr. Darling to prevail, but the cost to the department and community will be the most hurt by the selfish actions of a few without honor who will besmirch Las Vegas.
Viva Las Vegas!
If Stuart Bowman escapes any displinary action or criminal charges for driving 109mph down Flamingo without lights or sirens and lying about it, then it is clear that Metro believes that the police are not governed by the same laws and principles as the rest of us.
And the Gillespie story does not add up. If Bowman was not interviewed immediately after the accident, then how did the arrest report state that the lights and sirens were on, a lie? Give Bowman and Gillespie the benefit of the doubt and assume Bowman was "traumatized and not interviewed at the scene. Why wasn't he interviewed before Gillespie so foolishly went to the media and said the lights and sirens were on? And why didn't Bowman then immediately come forward and correct Gillespie's statement? This when Darling was looking at charges for failure to yield. Why did Gillespie go to the media with the drunk driving charges against Darling before the blood test results were available. What uncredibly poor judgement and grounds for a Darling lawsuit against Metro.
No matter how you attempt to cover it up, Bowman lied. Why is he still walking around in a Metro uniform? Citizens of Las Vegas should not let this story go away until justice is meted out. Our tax dollars pay for this.
If Officer Bowman was not interviewed because of trama,then why did they do this to Darling he was in the accident don't you think it was more tramtic for him.Sheriff we know there was special treatment for this officer,please just admit it,get the truth out everytime this story changes,we are the tax payers and we're paying for this parade of nonsense.guys we know you protect your own I don't recall any of Darlings 100 or more family members showing up,but almost 1/4 of Metro was there.Don't you think we realize this.And we're glad that you have that support system within the Metro Police Department.We're not blind.So stop the BS and let's hold everyone and I mean everyone accountable.
Cover up by the Sheriff and his men. A scapegoat, who was actually a victim, arrested at the scene. Too many witnesses and records of what occurred. The only unanswered questions is why the officers were traveling to an emergency call withOUT red lights and sirens, like was he not suppose to go to the call, or were they responding from places they were not suppose to be? The second question is when does Gillespie resign?
In answer to mike123
we know he can't baby sit all mf Metro but he can and should hold them accountable for irresponible actions.right
Well, I certainly hope this 14 year old bitch is happy with herself; she is, as far as I'm concerned, the most culpable for this accident. If this psycho in the making had any moral compass, she would be forced to live with the burden that she is responsible for the death of a 28 year old police officer, father and soon to be husband.
However, given that her immediate response when informed by her mother (who apparently didn't want to expose her little angel to too much distress) about the cops death, I doubt she'll be experiencing guilt over her actions any time soon: According to the mother, sweet daughter inquired as to whether her mother had eaten her doughnut.
Nice.
As for those who are actually defending this monster as a frightened little flower, please advise as to how many "frightened kids" have an attitude such that they trash their parent's home, get kicked out of school AND their grandparents house. Yes, I'm sure it was everyone else's fault and they just misunderstood her "fear"'.
Get real. This girl deserves nothing less than a felony conviction and a stint on Smiley Road. You'll see then how quickly she recovers from her "anger issues".
MURDERER.
I was surprised also with her response to the news,she shows no remorse and in a child this young only proves she has a mental disorder so she does not respond the way you or I would.but to call her a murderer is a little harash,if you call 911 fake or not does not mean you are responisible for the ride on the way to the scene.It just proves we have officers on the force trying to do their best with caring dispostions who are dedicated to serving us.(And yes I watched the motorcade as it went by me and closed my eyes and prayed for Officer Manor)I just hope we have a lot more like him on the force.....
Making false 911 calls is against the law. This manipulative monster of a teenager should be charged with the crime that she committed. I have personal experience dealing with delinquent teens like this and I can't begin to explain how manipulative and dangerous teens of this mindset can be. Which is also probably the reason why the 7 year old went with the father to pick up the mother instead of sleeping in bed with her psycho sister in the house.
Of course, none of this excuses the fact that the officer was at fault for the accident, but she should be charged for the false 911 call. Other people have been prosecuted for this, the girl needs to deal with some consequences.
Also, a note to the Sun,
Maybe you should think about removing Mr. Darling's mugshot from your website. Honestly, this article isn't even about him. Why don't you give the guy a break. You people have no shame.
At this time no need for anything for all officers who down right lied,mostly officer bowman? If it comes out that no charges are filed for at the least false reports, then there is no law and order in town anymore! What a message to send across the country? As for the little girl,she should be held accountable for all her actions and lies! She started the chain of events!
Im going to say again leave the kid out of this. If you listen to the tapes then you can clearly hear that she is scared. Weather her fear is real or imagined does not matter. She is calling for help out of fear. She has every right when she is in fear of something to call for help. Just listen and you can hear that the fear is real to her. Quit blaming everything on her. Metro is to blame for the actions they took.
Lasvegas2009,
This teenager was being manipulative and she lied to the police. She made a false 911 phone call, lied to dispatchers, and should be charged accordingly. This girl needs to start recognizing that she is responsible for her actions and face consequences sooner rather than later. Maybe she was scared because she lied to the police about her stepfather. What is this 14 year old doing to people that her own family doesn't want her around. My guess is that she's been manipulating her family for years. That's certainly what it sounds like.
And you're right, the officer was responsible for speeding without his emergency lights on. I'm just saying this girl is another issue that should not be ignored. She should face consequences.
I have seen a lot of people blaming her for the death of Manor. That is not right!
These Metro officers have been street racing for a while. This is just one that caused an accident and a death.
Metro wants to shift the spot light and blame on to the girl. They did the same with Mr. Darling that is why they have made the tapes public. Since when do they allow the public to know the identity of a child? Only when it benefits them.
The mother lies on the tape and says the step father is not there, you can hear him in the background knocking and kicking on the door.
I suspect we got a kid who is abused in more ways than one.
Making public the identity of a child is pretty despicable, but then again this is Metro. I notice they have not been too forthcoming regarding Stuart Bowman. What was Bowman's statement to fellow police after the accident? Why didn't Bowmen correct the arrest report if he knew the lights and sirens were not on? Did Gillespie really wait a couple of days, sitting on the truth and letting Darling twist in the wind just so Manor's funeral could be noncontroversal? Sounds like grounds for a lawsuit to me.
When did they make the identity of the girl public? I haven't read a single word about her identity.
A second officer following in another patrol car has had his actions reviewed, police said today. "At this time there is nothing to substantiate the need for formal discipline," the police said.
BULLS*IT. THIS OFFICER NEEDS TO BE FIRED FOR LYING. HE HAS BROKEN THE HONOR CODE OFFICERS ARE SWORN TO ADHERE TO.
Releasing these tapes is just another red herring Gillespie is using to take the heat off the department.
I starting to think Gillespie should lose his job over this fiasco.
not just honor code but IT IS ILLEGAL TO MAKE A FALSE POLICE REPORT
People - Listen to the end of the second audio clip. Regardless if the step-dad did or did not hurt this child, the mother was obviously lying and covering for him. You can hear his voice distinctly at the end of 2nd audio clip. At first, you hear knocking and a woman's voice questioning the girl. Then, you hear a second, distinct voice. It's a man's voice. In the third audio clip, the mother tells the dispatcher that she was all alone knocking on the door, and that the husband wasn't even there. That automatically makes her a liar. And the dispatcher actually believes her. I don't care if the 14 year old fought with the 7 year old; it does not give a grown man the right to beat her. The 14 year old probably does have emotional issues, but that does not warrant a beating. I feel sorry for the officer that lost his life. Whatever his reason for speeding, he probably thought that he could handle his car. Humans make mistakes. However, Metro should not be pinning the blame on an innocent citizen.
when are they going to release the recordings of the witnesses to the accident? the ones from the people who claim they were treated badly by metro at the scene?
Obviously the people that think Metro is covering up something by releasing the tapes have been trapped under a rock for quite sometime...Almost every big situation ends up with the 911 tapes being released for the public to listen to...Even when that famous lady died while skiing the tapes were released...And as for the name of the girl being let out, thats a BS!!! no names have been given out...
Yes 109 is fast, but im sure the majority of the people making a fit about the speed are continual speedsters on the road and have been caught on occasion...Its ok i understand your need to vent, but just think next time u call they'll go the speed limit so you those whiners can say they took too long
The mother does not deny that the stepfather hit the 14 year old and in fact admitted he had hit her once in another interview. She is definitely also lying - there is a male voice as well as a female voice at the door.
Any 14 year old exaggerates and blows things out of proportion emotionally. A 14 year old that's bipolar or has other emotional issues is even worse. I have a (now) 18 year old with bipolar and yes he would lie about events, he would self harm and trash the house. We fought tooth and nail to get him the help. There was no 'trying' and there was no fobbing him off on his uncle or his grandparents - we GOT him help and we didn't rest until we had it.
If she truly has mental issues and truly is bipolar, then vilifying her in this issue is not the right thing to do. She needs help and the mother is far more responsible than she is.
I don't believe her 'fear' for one minute. If she was really THAT scared why didn't she get out of the house when the stepdad left for the hospital? If I thought someone was going to come home and "Beat my ass" I would just get out the first chance I had - and she had the chance to leave and choose, instead, to initiate a bogus 911 call, probably to 'get even' with the stepdad for yelling at her for something ....