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Milburn Beitel III remembered for being superstitious, always professional
Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun
Officers salute as the casket of Metro Police Officer Milburn Beitel arrives Wednesday at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church for his funeral Mass. He died Oct. 8 at UMC hours after his cruiser crashed at Nellis Boulevard and Washington Avenue the previous evening.
Published Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 | 9:18 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 | 5:36 p.m.
Funeral for Officer Milburn Beitel
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Metro Police mourned the loss of their fellow officer, Milburn Beitel III, alongside his family Wednesday at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church during his funeral Mass. Beitel died Oct. 8 at UMC hours after his cruiser crashed at Nellis Boulevard and Washington Avenue the previous evening.
Milburn Beitel III
- Date of birth: 8-2-1979
- Family: Beitel was not married and had no children.
- Parents: Ann and Milburn Beitel Jr. (living in Culville, Texas)
- Brother: Aaron Beitel
- Place of birth: San Antonio, Texas. He lived in Texas until 1995, when his family moved to Las Vegas
- High school: Graduated from Silverado High School in Las Vegas in 1997
- Military service: U.S. Marine Corps, 1997–2001
- Joined Metro: September 2003, assigned to Metro’s Mobile Command Saturation Unit at death
Fatal Police Crash
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Clark Country Sheriff Douglas Gillespie held a press conference today sharing some details regarding the death of Officer Milburn "Millie" Beitel in a single vehicle crash Wednesday night.
Beyond the Sun
When Metro Police officer Michael Kinney arrived at a crash scene on Nellis Boulevard just after 9 p.m. Oct. 7, he found officer Milburn “Millie” Beitel, the officer he carpooled to work with every day, in the rolled patrol car, fighting for his life.
Kinney knew it was bad and could do nothing but hold Beitel’s hand. He placed his hand on his friend’s chest and felt him take a deep breath, then prayed as Beitel was transported to University Medical Center’s trauma unit.
Officer James Bertuccini, Beitel’s best friend, rushed to the trauma center minutes later and sat with his longtime partner as he fought for his life.
As Beitel took his last breath about 1:30 a.m., Bertuccini said, “I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and whispered the words, ‘I love you my friend.’”
The two officers shared their recollections of Beitel, 30, who died Oct. 8 in a one-car crash that seriously injured officer David Nesheiwat, 25, during funeral services Wednesday morning. More than 2,000 fellow police officers from agencies throughout the state and friends gathered at Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church at 11 a.m. for the two-hour service.
Beitel’s flag-draped casket was then taken to Palm Mortuary’s cemetery on South Eastern Avenue, where he was laid to rest with the sound of a breeze rustling the trees punctuated by prayers, a rifle salute and the sound of Taps.
Patrol cars and 75 motorcycle officers with lights flashing traveled 35 mph along Las Vegas freeways to transport Beitel to the church and then to the cemetery. The snare drum of a pipe and drum corps kept time for the soft marching of the honor guards.
A riderless police horse stood outside the church entrance after Beitel’s body was taken inside. As Beitel’s family entered the church, the choir began to sing, “And He will raise you up on eagles’ wings.”
At the end of the Catholic funeral service, Sheriff Douglas Gillespie, Bertuccini and Kinney talked about the imprint Beitel, a former Marine and Silverado High School graduate, made on the force and on their lives.
Beitel was superstitious, Bertuccini said, and would chew the same three pieces of gum throughout a shift, and if he didn’t do so, he was afraid things would not go right.
He worked out at the gym every day and was devoted to his pit bull, Winston. “Their physical stature and gentle touch matched,” Bertuccini said.
Beitel always kept a professional demeanor, even in unusual circumstances, his partner said. Once, the two pulled over a man who was dressed in a flannel shirt on top and French maid costume, complete with fishnets stockings, on his lower half.
When Beitel asked him the reason for the attire, the man said, “Dude, it’s laundry day,” Bertuccini recalled. Without missing a beat, Beitel replied, “Well, of course it is.”
Kinney, often speaking through tears, described how he, his brother and Beitel would go dirt biking together. Kinney was leading the way one time, and Beitel wiped out trying to keep up with him – but in his unique way, Kinney said.
“He flipped on the bike and landed on his feet,” Kinney said.
Beitel was always there when Kinney needed him, he said, and “most of all when I didn’t, which is a true friend.”
Beitel, who is survived by his parents, Ann and Milburn Beitel Jr., of Cullville, Texas, and a brother, Aaron Beitel, lived in Texas until 1995, when his parents moved to Las Vegas. Beitel graduated from Silverado High School in 1997. After high school, he did a tour in the U.S. Marine Corps until 2001. He joined Metro in 2003.
Once at the cemetery, the multiple police honor guards lined up at attention around the gravesite, and uniformed officers from Metro and other area police forces stood silently in rows upon rows nearby.
The soft clicks of the pallbearers’ shoes were audible as they bore Beitel’s body from the Metro truck that carried it to its final resting place. A rifle salute shattered the silence, then Taps was played, echoed twice by trumpeters placed in strategic spots.
A Marine honor guard folded the flag on the casket and presented it and another flag to Beitel’s parents and brother. Sheriff Douglas Gillespie presented them with a Nevada flag, and they were awarded a Purple Heart for Beitel and 21 empty cartridges to represent the rifle salute.
After bagpipers played “Amazing Grace,” five Metro Police helicopters flew overhead in the traditional missing man formation.
At 3:05 p.m., over the loudspeakers and on Metro radios throughout the Las Vegas Valley, a dispatcher announced, “Officer Milburn P. ‘Millie’ Beitel, P Number 8092, Secure. Final.”
The rifle guard stood before the coffin, saluted, and each placed a pin of the Marine insignia they had worn that day on top. The honor guard saluted and the commander took off his gloves and left them.
Then one by one, the hundreds of officers walked by and gave a final salute.
Jean Reid Norman can be reached at 948-2073 or jean.norman@lasvegassun.com.
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I witnessed the procession first hand on Las Vegas Blvd. It was a sad but beautiful sight of well-deserved honor. The circumstances of his death will not change the fact that he died serving the people of this community. Police are hardly all perfect, but I believe they all begin their career with honorable intentions.
Thank you for your service to us Officer Beitel.. and to his family, my deepest suympathys.
Thank you, Officer Beitel, and to all the others in law enforcement who have given their lives to protect us.
To the Beitel family:
Thank you to Officer Beitel for his dedication to making Las Vegas a safer place for us all. As a tourist to Las Vegas, I have always noticed the fine job the Metro Officers do to keep it safe. My condolances to the family and to Las Vegas Metro. You can always be proud.
Next time I'm in LV, I will make it a point to thank a Metro Officer for his or her service.
Right after you thank them, be prepared to show your ID and answer questions about where you're going and what you're doing..
Just kidding!
RIP Officer Milburn.
Gillespie needs to get off his butt and do something about the rash of driving accidents/deaths involving police cruisers. The buck stops at the top.
Yes, let some good come out of this in the form of a lesson to all police: don't just enforce the laws of the road, live by them, too. Maybe Officer Beitel's passing will represent a turning point.
And as the introspection continues, I've become curious if there are either incentives or special pressures on cops to respond to *non-life* threatening calls just as absolotely as fast as they can, even if shaving just a few seconds off the response time means taking much greater risks driving?
After the ambulance driver killed a lady at the intersection of Las Vegas Blvd. and Bridger, earlier this month, someone in the business posted here that dispatchers constantly breath down the necks of drivers, pushing them to get to calls just as fast as they can, traffic risks be damned. So is something like this in play with cops too? Is there some advantage for a cop to be the very first on a scene, or is there recognition for responding to calls in the shortest time?
Of course, I'm not talking about LIFE-THREATENING situations, which this case was not. And I'm not asking rhetorical questions and trying to be cute. Just wondering out loud about what pressures or factors might be part of the equation.
The Communities prayers go out to the Metro Police Officers and the Bietel family. We know you are hurting durig this time. There are hundreds of Officers just like Officer Bietel who do their job everyday without giving it a second thought. We only hear about whats in the media. I have a brother who is a police office and I am very proud of him, even though I have been in trouble in the past, he is the most humble person I know. These officers put there lives on the line and do not think twice about it. Our veterans overseas are doing the same. Officer Beitel did BOTH !!!. THANK YOU !!!
Wait a week now and then the details about the crash will start leaking out.
It is sad. My deepest sympathy to "Millie's" family and friends. We will be praying for you in this sad time.
And thank you to every single officer working here. Your lives and safety matter to us and you are ALL HEROES!
THANK YOU......
I was touched by the honor given, and deserved, to Officer Beitel. What a tragedy that a young man with such promise and commitment leaves us at an early age. "Thank you" to the whole Beitel Family for giving us a true hero. My thoughts are with you all in this sad time.
Now that the services are complete and everyone has paid their respects, maybe we can get the results of Metro investigating themselves on this accident.
More and more, I have come to the conclusion that we need a stronger oversight on Metro. The current mechanisms in place do nothing to provide a check on Metro and its actions. It's not that Metro is a totally corrupt organisation, I just think it could be alot better.
RIP OFFICER,MAY YOUR DEATH NOT GO DOWN IN VAIN!I really hope that metro practices the same laws they enforce!I for one will speak up the next time im stopped for the same violation as the officer in front of me,and demand a feild supervisor! If he's gonna write me a ticket,he's gonna get the same one from his supervisor!Get rid of your sherriff and the public just might get behind you!!! He has ruined a half way decent department!
RIP OFFICER MILBURN. OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES FOR THE FAMILY AND METRO BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
THE NHP TROOPERS.