Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Suspect in shooting that led to freeway crash dead

Fatal Shooting Victim In Accident

Steve Marcus

A vehicle is shown after a shooting victim was involved in an accident at the 1-215 eastbound off-ramp at Eastern Avenue Thursday, March 13, 2014. The driver, who had been shot multiple times, may have been shot at another location, police said.

Updated Thursday, March 20, 2014 | 12:09 p.m.

Click to enlarge photo

Joseph Lucero from a 2012 arrest

Fatal Shooting Victim In Accident

Metro Police investigators look over a vehicle after a shooting victim was involved in an accident at the 1-215 eastbound off-ramp at Eastern Avenue Thursday, March 13, 2014. The driver, who had been shot multiple times, may have been shot at another location, police said. Launch slideshow »

A suspect sought in the death of a man who was shot and then drove off, causing a pileup on the 215 Beltway, died on Wednesday, according to the Clark County Coroner’s Office.

Metro Police had been searching for Joseph Lucero, 26, since Friday in connection with the shooting. Police, responding to the 1900 block of East Tropicana Avenue early Wednesday, found Lucero's body, Metro said in a midday news release today, The Coroner’s Office has not released the cause of Lucero’s death.

Police said the shooting victim, Zachary Girdner, 23, of Henderson was shot March 13 after an argument at Lucero’s home at an apartment complex south of McCarran International Airport.

Girdner left in his Jeep with multiple gunshot wounds and then crashed into three cars on the 215 Beltway off-ramp at Eastern Avenue, police said.

Girdner died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center from multiple gunshot wounds, Coroner’s Office officials said.

With Lucero's death, Metro has closed its investigation into the shooting, police said.

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