Disruption at restaurant escalates into attack on Metro officer, police say

By Jackie Valley

Published Monday, March 24, 2014 | 5:28 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, March 25, 2014 | 11:53 a.m.

He could have left the Jack in the Box a free man.

Instead, 39-year-old Curtis Traupman turned on the Metro Police officer who was escorting him outside and became violent — at one point knocking the officer to the ground, punching him in the head and attempting to grab the officer’s firearm, police say.

Now, Traupman sits in the Clark County Detention Center, charged with attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon, battery on a protected person and resisting a public officer with use of a firearm.

The incident happened about 6 a.m. Friday at the fast-food restaurant in the 6400 block of Boulder Highway, near East Russell Road. The arrest report outlines the following events:

Police responded to Jack in the Box to investigate reports of a man, later identified as Traupman, yelling at employees. The officer walked Traupman out the door, told him he was not under arrest and was free to leave.

Traupman, however, approached the officer in an “aggressive manner,” which led to the struggle. As the officer tried to handcuff him, Traupman knocked the officer to the ground, began punching him and tried to grab his firearm.

“I’m going to kill you,” Traupman allegedly told the officer.

A male witness intervened and pulled Traupman off the officer. The witness then helped the officer handcuff Traupman. The officer suffered minor cuts and bruising to his face and head.

Traupman is scheduled to appear Tuesday morning in Las Vegas Justice Township court, according to jail records. He is being held without bail.