CCSD cops fatally shoot driver who had crashed into Metro patrol car

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Published Friday, Nov. 6, 2015 | 6:20 p.m.

Updated Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015 | 7:44 a.m.

Police shot dead a driver as he sped toward them Friday afternoon at a south valley park, Clark County School District Police said. And in a related incident, a motorcycle was injured in a collision that involved a passenger vehicle and a police motorcycle near the scene.

The fatal incident began when a male suspect of unknown age driving a small SUV sideswiped a Metro Police officer on routine patrol about 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of Spencer Street and Wigwam Avenue, CCSD Police Capt. Ken Young said. The suspect then rear-ended the cop car.

The Metro officer tried to pull over the driver, who refused to stop, Young said. The driver headed toward Desert Bloom Park, at Maryland Parkway and Wigwam Avenue.

Two school police officers were at the park on a juvenile-related incident when the suspect accelerated into the parking area directly toward the officers, who were standing with two juveniles, Young said.

The officers then fired at the oncoming SUV, fatally striking the driver.

Authorities shut down Spencer from Windmill to Wigwam during the investigation, as well as Maryland Parkway between Wigwam and Windmill.

Residents in those closed-off areas were having to park away from the police activity but were able to access their homes on foot.

As the shooting was being investigated, the nearby accident occurred when a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and another SUV collided on Maryland Parkway, Metro reported. The accident occurred at 5:18 p.m. near Ford Avenue, where an unidentified Metro motorcycle officer had parked his bike and was redirecting traffic.

Metro said the Harley-Davidson, ridden by Jory Boyd, 42, of Las Vegas, was northbound on Maryland Parkway in the righthand lane when Boyd entered the path of the SUV, which was northbound in the center lane. The SUV and Harley-Davidson collided, causing the motorcycle to fall over. The SUV then struck the police motorcycle, a 2014 Suzuki DRZ400S Enduro.

The driver of the SUV involved in the accident, identified as Keith Richards, 44, Las Vegas, was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on suspicion of driving under the influence of intoxicants and for operating a vehicle without a driver’s license, according to the detention logs.

Boyd suffered critical injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The Metro motorcycle officer was not sitting on his patrol bike at the time of the crash and was not injured, Metro said.

Metro is leading the investigation, Young said.