Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Youth’s suicide threat closes road over dam

The busy highway across Hoover Dam was closed for more than 1 1/2 hours early today when a teenage fugitive from Los Angeles threatened suicide after he was stopped in a police chase.

A Boulder City officer on the scene spent 90 minutes talking to the 16-year-old before convincing him to give up a gun.

The incident began at 4:10 a.m. when police spotted a small truck with no taillights and tried to stop it, said Capt. Mike Creathbaum of the Boulder City Police Department.

Creathbaum said the driver refused to stop and a chase ensued on U.S. 93 to Hoover Dam, about eight miles away.

A computer check showed the driver was wanted in Los Angeles on felony charges, Creathbaum said.

The pursuing officer was able to nudge the truck at a sharp turn on the Arizona side of the dam, and the vehicle spun out of control, stopping in the middle of the highway.

Creathbaum said the 16-year-old driver then put a gun to his head and threatened suicide.

"He threatened to kill himself several times" during the standoff, Creathbaum said. "He was very emotional. He said nobody cared about him."

Boulder City Sgt. Jim Reed talked to the teenager and finally convinced him to give up his weapon, Creathbaum said.

The driver and a 16-year-old male passenger were taken to the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas.

The names of the driver and passenger were not released because of their ages.

Creathbaum said the highway was closed over a five-mile stretch from before 4:30 a.m. until shortly after 6 a.m.

He said traffic was backed up about two miles in both directions.

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