NHP identifies officers, suspect in New Year’s Eve shooting

By William D'Urso

Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013 | 5:05 p.m.

The officers who returned fire on a suspect involved in a New Year's Eve high-speed chase have been identified by the Nevada Highway Patrol.

The officers involved were Trooper Micah May, who has been with the department since April 2008, and Sgt. Raymond Pedraza, who has been with the department since June 2001.

The suspect, identified as 33-year-old David Bird Jr., was wounded when he allegedly exchanged gunfire Monday morning after a high-speed chase that ended on U.S. 95 when police blew out the fleeing vehicle’s tires, NHP officials said.

The incident started when a trooper tried to pull over the vehicle about 4 a.m. on a traffic violation at Nellis Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue, Trooper Jeremie Elliot said.

The vehicle sped north on U.S. 95, and troopers placed a spike strip at U.S. 95 and Las Vegas Boulevard to stop it, Elliot said.

After running over the spikes, the vehicle’s tires were flattened and it caught fire before coming to a stop near the Jones Boulevard exit, Elliot said. Bird got out of the vehicle and exchanged fire with troopers with a handgun, Elliot said.

Bird was shot and transported to University Medical Center in unknown condition, Elliot said. A woman in the car was taken into custody, authorities said.

No troopers were injured.