The Clark County Coroner's Office said a man shot during an encounter with a North Las Vegas police officer Monday died of a gunshot wound of the head.
Medical examiners identified the person as 38-year-old David L. Robinson.
According to NLVPD Public Information Officer Chrissie Coon, a uniformed officer was patrolling the area of Woodard Street and Tonopah Avenue about 1 a.m. when he saw a man identified as Robinson walking in a crosswalk. Coon said the officer informed dispatchers he was going to stop the person.
According to Coon, the encounter with the 38-year-old homeless man grew violent.
Within minutes of the encounter, the officer called dispatchers to say there had been shots fired and medical assistance was needed, according to police.
Police said the person shot by the officer died at the scene. There were no injuries to the officer.
An investigation revealed the officer stopped his patrol vehicle along the sidewalk and attempted to approach the man on foot. Police said the man was being uncooperative and he began to back way from the officer towards the backyard of an abandoned residence.
It wasn't until the officer walked towards the man that the incident escalated, police said.
Coon said a knife was recovered from the scene.
"At some point, the suspect presented a knife. The officer fired his weapon, striking the suspect multiple times," Coon said.
Police said the entire incident took place within 2 1/2 minutes.
"We really have to take our time to break that two minutes into pieces and see what exactly that officer was presented with when this incident occurred," said Coon.
Police said they target the area because of its high number of abandoned homes and buildings.
"It's becoming a public safety danger to have people in and around these house. Code enforcement is coming out and boarding up these houses. The homeless are coming in and taking those boards down, and you know there's electrical hazards and things of that nature," said Coon.
The officer in the shooting was only identified as a 31-year-old, five-year veteran of North Las Vegas police. He was placed on paid administrative leave.
The incident marked the first officer-involved shooting for North Las Vegas police this year.
Showing posts with label Nevada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nevada. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Family of Doctor Files Lawsuit Against Taser International
The family of a 33 year-old doctor who died after being shot with a stun gun by Nevada Highway Patrol officer has filed a lawsuit against Taser International, alleging that the stun gun maker failed to adequately warn about the potentially fatal effects of Tasers.
The wrongful death lawsuit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court in Las Vegas by the family of Dr. Ryan Rich, a single father who was a licensed physician and emergency room resident. The family seeks compensatory and punitive damages against Taser International, saying that the company fraudulently promoted Taser guns as nonlethal weapons.
According to the complaint, Dr. Rich suffered a seizure while on his way to work in January 2007. As a result of his inability to control the pick-up truck he was driving, he was involved in several minor accidents that left him dazed, confused and disoriented when his vehicle came to a stop.
The erratic driving was observed by a Nevada Highway Patrol officer, Loren Lazoff, who approached the vehicle and broke the passenger-side window and turned off the engine. The family alleges that while Dr. Rich was initially not combative, violent or posing any threat to the officer, he pulled away while being handcuffed and began running in the direction of traffic lanes. The officer grabbed the back of Dr. Rich’s shirt and discharged his Taser Model X26 ECD from about 3 to four feet into the chest, delivering 50,000 volts of electricity designed to incapacitate humans.
After discharing the initial 5-second cycle to the chest, Officer Lazoff then subjected Dr. Rich to two more 5-second cycles to the chest when Dr. Rich continued to try to remove the probes. After the third cycle, Dr. Rich reportedly began to move his legs and the officer applied two more 5-second cycles to his right thigh in drive stun mode, for a total of five cycles.
The Taser wrongful death lawsuit indicates that Dr. Rich subsequently turned blue and was transported by ambulance to Spring Valley Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The family claims that Rich died of a heart attack as a direct result of the use of the Taser.
The family alleges that Taser International misrepresented the safety of their stun guns, failed to disclose and failed to warn Nevada Highway Patrol and their officers about the risks, including the risk of ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest when a Taser is applied to the chest and that multiple cycles on a single person increase the risk of injury or death. The complaint also alleges that Taser indicated their weapon was an effective, non-lethal control device, when it is actually potentially lethal.
Scottsdale-based Taser International has vigorously defended the safety of the weapons in the media and in other cases, obtaining dismissals of most Taser lawsuits that have been filed against them. This fall, however, the company issued a memo to police agencies throughout the United States warning about the potential Taser heart risks, recommending that officers avoid chest shots.
The Taser gun is designed to incapacitate neuromuscular function by delivering a shock that uses Electro-Muscular Disruption technology. Many law enforcement agencies have deployed the weapons to allow police to incapacitate someone who poses a threat, but there have also been a number of reports of overuse and abuse of the weapons, which could have fatal consequences.
Taser has said it issued the warning not because it believes that the weapons are dangerous, but as a means of legal risk management for law enforcement agencies using their weapons. However, critics have characterized the recommendations as a passive admission that Taser stun guns can cause heart attacks. Taser has disagreed with this interpretation of their recommendations.
The new recommendations, included in a revised training manual, note that the possibility of someone having a cardiac arrest after recently being shot with a stun gun could place Taser and police in the difficult role of having to determine whether the stun gun was a contributing factor. To avoid that, the company recommends that law enforcement agencies train their officers to fire the gun below the chest.
In 2008, Amnesty International released a report on Taser police use, calling for departments throughout the United States to stop using Taser guns or to strictly limit their use to life-threatening situations. The human rights group linked 334 deaths to the use of Taser guns between 2001 and August 2008. Amnesty noted that 90% of the Taser deaths examined involved people who were unarmed and did not appear to present a serious threat to the officers. A large number of the fatalities involved misuse of the weapons, including multiple Taser shocks or exposing suspects to prolonged shocks.
The wrongful death lawsuit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court in Las Vegas by the family of Dr. Ryan Rich, a single father who was a licensed physician and emergency room resident. The family seeks compensatory and punitive damages against Taser International, saying that the company fraudulently promoted Taser guns as nonlethal weapons.
According to the complaint, Dr. Rich suffered a seizure while on his way to work in January 2007. As a result of his inability to control the pick-up truck he was driving, he was involved in several minor accidents that left him dazed, confused and disoriented when his vehicle came to a stop.
The erratic driving was observed by a Nevada Highway Patrol officer, Loren Lazoff, who approached the vehicle and broke the passenger-side window and turned off the engine. The family alleges that while Dr. Rich was initially not combative, violent or posing any threat to the officer, he pulled away while being handcuffed and began running in the direction of traffic lanes. The officer grabbed the back of Dr. Rich’s shirt and discharged his Taser Model X26 ECD from about 3 to four feet into the chest, delivering 50,000 volts of electricity designed to incapacitate humans.
After discharing the initial 5-second cycle to the chest, Officer Lazoff then subjected Dr. Rich to two more 5-second cycles to the chest when Dr. Rich continued to try to remove the probes. After the third cycle, Dr. Rich reportedly began to move his legs and the officer applied two more 5-second cycles to his right thigh in drive stun mode, for a total of five cycles.
The Taser wrongful death lawsuit indicates that Dr. Rich subsequently turned blue and was transported by ambulance to Spring Valley Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The family claims that Rich died of a heart attack as a direct result of the use of the Taser.
The family alleges that Taser International misrepresented the safety of their stun guns, failed to disclose and failed to warn Nevada Highway Patrol and their officers about the risks, including the risk of ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest when a Taser is applied to the chest and that multiple cycles on a single person increase the risk of injury or death. The complaint also alleges that Taser indicated their weapon was an effective, non-lethal control device, when it is actually potentially lethal.
Scottsdale-based Taser International has vigorously defended the safety of the weapons in the media and in other cases, obtaining dismissals of most Taser lawsuits that have been filed against them. This fall, however, the company issued a memo to police agencies throughout the United States warning about the potential Taser heart risks, recommending that officers avoid chest shots.
The Taser gun is designed to incapacitate neuromuscular function by delivering a shock that uses Electro-Muscular Disruption technology. Many law enforcement agencies have deployed the weapons to allow police to incapacitate someone who poses a threat, but there have also been a number of reports of overuse and abuse of the weapons, which could have fatal consequences.
Taser has said it issued the warning not because it believes that the weapons are dangerous, but as a means of legal risk management for law enforcement agencies using their weapons. However, critics have characterized the recommendations as a passive admission that Taser stun guns can cause heart attacks. Taser has disagreed with this interpretation of their recommendations.
The new recommendations, included in a revised training manual, note that the possibility of someone having a cardiac arrest after recently being shot with a stun gun could place Taser and police in the difficult role of having to determine whether the stun gun was a contributing factor. To avoid that, the company recommends that law enforcement agencies train their officers to fire the gun below the chest.
In 2008, Amnesty International released a report on Taser police use, calling for departments throughout the United States to stop using Taser guns or to strictly limit their use to life-threatening situations. The human rights group linked 334 deaths to the use of Taser guns between 2001 and August 2008. Amnesty noted that 90% of the Taser deaths examined involved people who were unarmed and did not appear to present a serious threat to the officers. A large number of the fatalities involved misuse of the weapons, including multiple Taser shocks or exposing suspects to prolonged shocks.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Deputy Brian Weber Arrested for Domestic Violence
A Washoe County Sheriff’s Deputy has been arrested, accused of domestic battery. Brian Weber was booked into the jail Wednesday night.
There are not a lot of details regarding his arrest. The Sheriff’s department tells us that Weber has been with the department for the fast five years and was assigned to patrol.
Weber has been reassigned to other duties while the Reno Police Department investigates the allegations against him.
There are not a lot of details regarding his arrest. The Sheriff’s department tells us that Weber has been with the department for the fast five years and was assigned to patrol.
Weber has been reassigned to other duties while the Reno Police Department investigates the allegations against him.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Former Officer Benjamin Cordova Fired for Stealing Gas
A former North Las Vegas police officer has been fired for allegedly purchasing fuel for his personal vehicle on a department credit card.
Benjamin Miles Cordova had been videotaped three times fueling his blue Chevrolet Colorado four-door pickup truck using another officer's credit card at two gas stations in Henderson and North Las Vegas, an arrest report indicated.
The administrative investigation is separate from a criminal case that's in the hands of the Clark County District Attorney's Office, police said. Details of the police administrative investigation won't be released because it's a personnel matter.
He was arrested July 22 and booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center. At that time he was placed on paid administrative leave until the administrative investigation was completed.
Cordova was booked on three counts of credit card fraud and three counts of receiving property obtained by unlawful use of a credit card. All counts are felonies.
North Las Vegas police had launched an investigation after another officer discovered that a department credit card was missing from a patrol car and notified his superiors.
During the investigation, police also learned that Cordova's driver's license had expired on Aug. 13, 2007, but he was still driving his own vehicle and department vehicles.
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http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_13578634
Benjamin Miles Cordova had been videotaped three times fueling his blue Chevrolet Colorado four-door pickup truck using another officer's credit card at two gas stations in Henderson and North Las Vegas, an arrest report indicated.
The administrative investigation is separate from a criminal case that's in the hands of the Clark County District Attorney's Office, police said. Details of the police administrative investigation won't be released because it's a personnel matter.
He was arrested July 22 and booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center. At that time he was placed on paid administrative leave until the administrative investigation was completed.
Cordova was booked on three counts of credit card fraud and three counts of receiving property obtained by unlawful use of a credit card. All counts are felonies.
North Las Vegas police had launched an investigation after another officer discovered that a department credit card was missing from a patrol car and notified his superiors.
During the investigation, police also learned that Cordova's driver's license had expired on Aug. 13, 2007, but he was still driving his own vehicle and department vehicles.
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http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_13578634
Friday, October 09, 2009
Corrections Officer Vincent Czechorosky Arrested for Armed Robbery
Police in Nye County have arrested a Nevada corrections officer in connection with a pair of armed robberies at a Pahrump convenience store.
Pahrump resident Vincent Matthew Czechorosky, 24, was taken into custody by the Nye County sheriff’s office early Wednesday morning after a car chase that ended with a deputy firing shots at the suspect’s vehicle.
Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo said deputies found Czechorosky’s Department of Corrections badge in the vehicle along with a handgun and money from the most recent robbery.
Corrections spokeswoman Suzanne Pardee confirmed on Thursday that Czechorosky worked at High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs, where he was in his third year with the department.
“That’s ‘was,’” Pardee said. “Let’s just say he’s been terminated as of yesterday.”
The Rebel gas station at Pahrump’s busiest intersection was robbed at gunpoint on Sept. 21 and again at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday by a man dressed in black.
After the second robbery, deputies were searching the area near the gas station when they came across a vehicle parked on the side of the road with its lights off. The vehicle took off when deputies approached, and officers gave chase.
DeMeo said that when deputies cornered Czechorosky in a playground parking lot, he sped toward them, prompting Deputy Jeffrey Benson to fire two shots into the suspect’s windshield.
DeMeo said Czechorosky stopped his vehicle and fled on foot, only to be captured in the desert by a police dog.
Czechorosky was booked on multiple charges, including attempted murder of a police officer, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand larceny. He is being held without bail.
DeMeo said state corrections officials called his office to express their concern and regret over the incident.
“They were deeply troubled by it, as I would be if it was one of my people,” he said.
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Other Information: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_13527899?nclick_check=1
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Officer Lourdes Smith Arrested on 2 Misdemeanor Charges
A Metro police officer has been arrested by Henderson police.
Lourdes Smith, 36, was arrested Tuesday on two misdemeanor charges. She has been employed by Metro police for over eight years.
Metro police said they became aware of the HPD investigation on Sept. 17 and are conducting an independent internal investigation into the incident.
Smith was assigned to the patrol division, South Central Area Command. She has been reassigned to administrative duties within that area command, with no public contact, pending the outcome of the Internal Affairs investigation.
Metro said as with all internal affairs investigations, no information will be released until the investigation is concluded.
Lourdes Smith, 36, was arrested Tuesday on two misdemeanor charges. She has been employed by Metro police for over eight years.
Metro police said they became aware of the HPD investigation on Sept. 17 and are conducting an independent internal investigation into the incident.
Smith was assigned to the patrol division, South Central Area Command. She has been reassigned to administrative duties within that area command, with no public contact, pending the outcome of the Internal Affairs investigation.
Metro said as with all internal affairs investigations, no information will be released until the investigation is concluded.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Officers Kevin Fujioka & Shayne Souza Arrested
Two Honolulu law enforcers in Las Vegas to play in a softball tournament for police and firefighters were arrested on marijuana charges after leading authorities on a short chase.
Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said officers Kevin Fujioka, 37, and Shayne Souza, 47, were arrested Saturday night near Desert Breeze Park, about six miles west of the Las Vegas Strip.
Scott Wilson, a 38-year-old social worker from Honolulu, also was arrested, Welling said Monday.
Park police approached the men in a white van because it was parked sideways across two spots in the parking lot, Welling said. As officers approached, the van drove off.
After a short pursuit, Souza and Fujioka got out of the van and ran from police, authorities said. Welling said officers pepper-sprayed Souza when he resisted arrest.
All three men were charged with marijuana possession, Welling said. Fujioka also was charged with driving under the influence of a narcotic, and Souza was charged with drug paraphernalia possession, resisting a police officer and obstruction of justice. Wilson was charged with having an open alcohol container in a vehicle, Welling said.
Michelle Yu, spokeswoman for the Honolulu Police Department, confirmed that the agency has two officers with the same names as Fujioka and Souza, but she said the department had not heard about the arrests and could not immediately comment.
Yu said Fujioka is a patrol officer who has worked at the department 13 years, while Souza is a SWAT officer who has been with the department 20 years.
Welling said the men identified themselves as police officers from the Hawaii city.
Tom Wagner, president of the Nevada Police Athletic Federation, said the arrests happened during a men's softball tournament that was part of the 2009 Nevada Police & Fire Games. The five-day event of various sports and games involves about 2,000 police and firefighters from across the country, Wagner said.
He called the arrests "shocking" and said it's possible that the players and their team would not be invited to return to the games.
"It's unfortunate but we definitely are going to be speaking to that coach and that police department and getting the story and deciding what our action will be as a federation," Wagner said.
Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said officers Kevin Fujioka, 37, and Shayne Souza, 47, were arrested Saturday night near Desert Breeze Park, about six miles west of the Las Vegas Strip.
Scott Wilson, a 38-year-old social worker from Honolulu, also was arrested, Welling said Monday.
Park police approached the men in a white van because it was parked sideways across two spots in the parking lot, Welling said. As officers approached, the van drove off.
After a short pursuit, Souza and Fujioka got out of the van and ran from police, authorities said. Welling said officers pepper-sprayed Souza when he resisted arrest.
All three men were charged with marijuana possession, Welling said. Fujioka also was charged with driving under the influence of a narcotic, and Souza was charged with drug paraphernalia possession, resisting a police officer and obstruction of justice. Wilson was charged with having an open alcohol container in a vehicle, Welling said.
Michelle Yu, spokeswoman for the Honolulu Police Department, confirmed that the agency has two officers with the same names as Fujioka and Souza, but she said the department had not heard about the arrests and could not immediately comment.
Yu said Fujioka is a patrol officer who has worked at the department 13 years, while Souza is a SWAT officer who has been with the department 20 years.
Welling said the men identified themselves as police officers from the Hawaii city.
Tom Wagner, president of the Nevada Police Athletic Federation, said the arrests happened during a men's softball tournament that was part of the 2009 Nevada Police & Fire Games. The five-day event of various sports and games involves about 2,000 police and firefighters from across the country, Wagner said.
He called the arrests "shocking" and said it's possible that the players and their team would not be invited to return to the games.
"It's unfortunate but we definitely are going to be speaking to that coach and that police department and getting the story and deciding what our action will be as a federation," Wagner said.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Officer Benjamin Miles Cordova Accused of Misusing City Fuel Card
A police report says a North Las Vegas police officer accused of misusing a city fuel card had an expired driver's license and was using a pilfered license plate.
A police report says Benjamin Miles Cordova's 2005 Chevrolet pickup had a license plate that a woman said she turned over to a North Las Vegas police officer when she was stopped for driving with suspended plates.
Police say Cordova's truck hadn't been registered since 2005, and his license expired in 2007.
Cordova is 39 and a six-year veteran of the department. He's on paid administrative leave following his arrest Tuesday on six felony counts of credit card fraud.
He is accused of using the department credit card to refuel his pickup.
A police report says Benjamin Miles Cordova's 2005 Chevrolet pickup had a license plate that a woman said she turned over to a North Las Vegas police officer when she was stopped for driving with suspended plates.
Police say Cordova's truck hadn't been registered since 2005, and his license expired in 2007.
Cordova is 39 and a six-year veteran of the department. He's on paid administrative leave following his arrest Tuesday on six felony counts of credit card fraud.
He is accused of using the department credit card to refuel his pickup.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Officer Benjamin Miles Cordova Arrested for Fraud
A North Las Vegas police officer has been arrested on charges of fraud after allegedly misusing a department credit card.
North Las Vegas police spent the past week investigating one of their own, 39-year-old Benjamin Miles Cordova. They determined he'd been using a department credit card for personal use.
Police said he used the card for personal gain on three separate occasions and has been booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center on suspicion of three counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and three counts of receiving property obtained by unlawful use of a credit card.
The investigation began a week ago when investigators learned a card was missing.
“There are two things in law enforcement that can’t be tolerated – dishonesty, and the other is theft,” said NLVPD spokeswoman Chrissie Coon. “Those are things that administration takes very seriously, and I think all officers know they’re all held to the same standard.”
Cordova was a patrol officer who had served 6 1/2 years with the NLVPD.
Police said they have the necessary checks and balances in place to make sure police officers do not get away with this.
Cordoba is on paid administrative leave, as Nevada state law requires.
Previous Stories:
July 21, 2009: North Las Vegas Police Officer Arrested
July 16, 2009: 2 Fired NLV Officers Bound Over For Trial
North Las Vegas police spent the past week investigating one of their own, 39-year-old Benjamin Miles Cordova. They determined he'd been using a department credit card for personal use.
Police said he used the card for personal gain on three separate occasions and has been booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center on suspicion of three counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and three counts of receiving property obtained by unlawful use of a credit card.
The investigation began a week ago when investigators learned a card was missing.
“There are two things in law enforcement that can’t be tolerated – dishonesty, and the other is theft,” said NLVPD spokeswoman Chrissie Coon. “Those are things that administration takes very seriously, and I think all officers know they’re all held to the same standard.”
Cordova was a patrol officer who had served 6 1/2 years with the NLVPD.
Police said they have the necessary checks and balances in place to make sure police officers do not get away with this.
Cordoba is on paid administrative leave, as Nevada state law requires.
Previous Stories:
July 21, 2009: North Las Vegas Police Officer Arrested
July 16, 2009: 2 Fired NLV Officers Bound Over For Trial
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Officer James Manor Dies After Driving 109 MPH Without Lights & Sirens
Las Vegas police officer James Manor was not using his lights and sirens while responding to a domestic violence call May 7, the night he was killed in a traffic collision.
At a 3 p.m. news conference today, Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie also said Manor was traveling more than 100 mph at the time of the collision.
Gillespie said charges against the other driver in the crash are being re-examined in light of the new information.
Manor was also not wearing a seat belt, Gillespie said.
Also, it was revealed that the blood alcohol level for Calvin Darling, initially charged with drunken driving in Manor's death, was .035 percent. A second blood test an hour later showed his level was .021 percent.
Darling's lawyer said last week his client saw no emergency lights and heard no sirens before turning in front of the oncoming patrol car.
Darling saw three oncoming vehicles before the crash, but they were a “sufficient distance away, which led him to believe that he could safely cross Flamingo,” the statement from Sean P. Sullivan said.
Darling, an engineer at Bellagio, turned his pickup truck left in front of a patrol car driven by Manor, 28, who died shortly after the violent collision at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Ravenwood Drive, near Tenaya Way just a few blocks from Darling’s house.
At a news conference the day of the crash, Gillespie was emphatic that two patrol cars had lights and sirens on as they headed to the domestic violence call.
Under the Metropolitan Police Department’s policy, officers can drive with lights and sirens, called Code 3, in four situations, including responding to a felony in progress, an officer who needs help in a volatile situation and a call where a citizen’s life could be in danger.
If a patrol car is not responding Code 3, the officer is required to use due care and observe traffic laws, he said at the time.
Before making his left turn, Darling checked the oncoming traffic and saw no lights, his lawyer’s statement said.
After the crash he told investigators he had “three or four beers,” police said. He smelled of alcohol and failed a field sobriety test that measures eye movements, leading to charges of drunken driving causing death and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle. He was released from jail a day later when a test revealed his blood-alcohol content was under the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
____________________________
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/may/20/police-officer-killed-crash-drove-109-mph-no-light/
At a 3 p.m. news conference today, Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie also said Manor was traveling more than 100 mph at the time of the collision.
Gillespie said charges against the other driver in the crash are being re-examined in light of the new information.
Manor was also not wearing a seat belt, Gillespie said.
Also, it was revealed that the blood alcohol level for Calvin Darling, initially charged with drunken driving in Manor's death, was .035 percent. A second blood test an hour later showed his level was .021 percent.
Darling's lawyer said last week his client saw no emergency lights and heard no sirens before turning in front of the oncoming patrol car.
Darling saw three oncoming vehicles before the crash, but they were a “sufficient distance away, which led him to believe that he could safely cross Flamingo,” the statement from Sean P. Sullivan said.
Darling, an engineer at Bellagio, turned his pickup truck left in front of a patrol car driven by Manor, 28, who died shortly after the violent collision at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Ravenwood Drive, near Tenaya Way just a few blocks from Darling’s house.
At a news conference the day of the crash, Gillespie was emphatic that two patrol cars had lights and sirens on as they headed to the domestic violence call.
Under the Metropolitan Police Department’s policy, officers can drive with lights and sirens, called Code 3, in four situations, including responding to a felony in progress, an officer who needs help in a volatile situation and a call where a citizen’s life could be in danger.
If a patrol car is not responding Code 3, the officer is required to use due care and observe traffic laws, he said at the time.
Before making his left turn, Darling checked the oncoming traffic and saw no lights, his lawyer’s statement said.
After the crash he told investigators he had “three or four beers,” police said. He smelled of alcohol and failed a field sobriety test that measures eye movements, leading to charges of drunken driving causing death and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle. He was released from jail a day later when a test revealed his blood-alcohol content was under the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
____________________________
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/may/20/police-officer-killed-crash-drove-109-mph-no-light/
Monday, April 20, 2009
Another Mesquite Officer Under Investigation for Having Sex in His Police Car
Less than a week after the City of Mesquite was served with a lawsuit over allegations of sexual assault by former police officer Kirt Hughes, another Mesquite police officer is under investigation for alleged sexual impropriety.
An internal investigation has been ongoing for the last few weeks as the department looks into allegations that one of its officers may have been involved in sexual misconduct.
Specifically, the unnamed officer is accused of having consensual sex in his police car.
While the police department has confirmed that an investigation is underway, they have released few details about the allegations.
If confirmed, the officer is facing suspension or even possible termination.
The investigation marks the second time in the last six months that a Mesquite police officer has been accused of sexual misconduct.
Former police officer of the year Kirt Hughes was fired in December following two investigations into allegations that he sexually assaulted several local women.
The Clark County District Attorney refused to file charges in that case, but Hughes was terminated from the department as a result of the investigation.
While the two cases come within months of each other, police officials have indicated that the incidents and investigations are unrelated.
_____________________________
http://www.mesquitelocalnews.com/viewnews.php?newsid=2665&id=2
An internal investigation has been ongoing for the last few weeks as the department looks into allegations that one of its officers may have been involved in sexual misconduct.
Specifically, the unnamed officer is accused of having consensual sex in his police car.
While the police department has confirmed that an investigation is underway, they have released few details about the allegations.
If confirmed, the officer is facing suspension or even possible termination.
The investigation marks the second time in the last six months that a Mesquite police officer has been accused of sexual misconduct.
Former police officer of the year Kirt Hughes was fired in December following two investigations into allegations that he sexually assaulted several local women.
The Clark County District Attorney refused to file charges in that case, but Hughes was terminated from the department as a result of the investigation.
While the two cases come within months of each other, police officials have indicated that the incidents and investigations are unrelated.
_____________________________
http://www.mesquitelocalnews.com/viewnews.php?newsid=2665&id=2
Friday, April 17, 2009
Detective Monica Geddry Arrested for Drunk Driving
A Reno police detective was arrested early today on drunken driving charges -- marking the second DUI investigation for the department in the last two months.
Detective Monica Geddry, 42, was arrested by officers with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Department about 1 a.m. near McCarran Boulevard and Talbot Lane in South Reno, said Deputy Brooke Keast, spokeswoman for the department.
Geddry was charged with making an improper turn, failure to drive within marked lanes and driving under the influence, Keast said. She is scheduled to appear in Reno Justice Court on May 1.
Reno Police Deputy Chief Jim Johns said he could not comment on the case because it was a “personnel matter,” but said, that “as a matter of policy, we will conduct an administrative review and investigation” into the charges before making a decision about how it should be handled.
Geddry will continue to work as a detective during the review, he said.
In 2002, Geddry was a Reno traffic officer who organized a program called ALIVE -- Actively Learning About Intoxication and Vehicle Education -- a Reno police program run with a $14,000 federal grant that taught local high school students about the dangers of driving drunk.
Geddry was the second Reno police officer arrested for DUI in the past two months.
In February, Reno patrol officer Chad Johnston was investigated for possible DUI after he was found passed out in his vehicle at the Silver Legacy parking garage. The Washoe County District Attorney’s office is still investigating that case for possible charges.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Former Officer Hughes Facing Incest & Child Porn Charges
A former Elko police captain facing incest and child pornography charges has been released from jail after a judge reduced his bail.
Court records show Elko District Judge Andrew Puccinelli last week lowered bail for Aaron Hughes from $500,000 to $200,000.
The Elko Daily Free Press reports Hughes posted bail on Friday and was released from a Lander County jail where he was being held.
Under the judge's order, he cannot contact any witnesses in the case or leave Elko County and must live with family.
Hughes was charged in December after police searched his home while investigating unrelated grand larceny charges and seized a computer allegedly containing videos of him engaging in sex with an underage, blood relative.
___
Information from: Elko Daily Free Press, http://www.elkodaily.com
Court records show Elko District Judge Andrew Puccinelli last week lowered bail for Aaron Hughes from $500,000 to $200,000.
The Elko Daily Free Press reports Hughes posted bail on Friday and was released from a Lander County jail where he was being held.
Under the judge's order, he cannot contact any witnesses in the case or leave Elko County and must live with family.
Hughes was charged in December after police searched his home while investigating unrelated grand larceny charges and seized a computer allegedly containing videos of him engaging in sex with an underage, blood relative.
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Information from: Elko Daily Free Press, http://www.elkodaily.com
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Officer Scott Taylor Fired after being Investigated for Beating Police Dog
Scott Taylor, the University of Nevada, Reno police officer who has been under investigation for claims of police abuse and for allegedly beating his assigned police dog, no longer works at UNR, spokeswoman Jane Tors said today.
“He is no longer an employee,” she said. “He was notified of this (Wednesday).”
Tors said she is prohibited from discussing whether Taylor was fired or why he no longer works at UNR because, by law, it is a confidential personnel matter.
Neither Taylor or his attorney could be reached for comment.
When contacted Wednesday about reports Taylor had been fired, Tors said the university had taken action that dealt with Taylor and that the action was based on “an internal matter and not the dog, which would still be within the purview of the Attorney General’s office.”
UNR Police Chief Adam Garcia had put Taylor on paid leave last month pending an internal investigation after a complaint of police abuse was made against him Feb. 3.
“It was a complaint against his inappropriate conduct with a citizen while on duty,” Garcia had said.
In an earlier complaint filed in January with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA said Taylor had been accused of beating his K-9 patrol dog, a male German shepherd name Niko, to the point that the dog defecated on the floor at the university’s police station.
Garcia turned that investigation over to the Attorney General’s office.
Michael Langton, Taylor’s attorney, has stated that his client maintains he is innocent.
Langton said Taylor had explained that the dog defecated on the floor at the UNR police station not out of fear, but because the animal was ill, and that Taylor took him to a veterinarian after the incident.
Garcia said that after PETA contacted him Jan. 29 about the complaint, he had Niko taken away from Taylor and brought to a Reno veterinarian to be examined and kept, pending the outcome of the Attorney General’s investigation.
University officials have said that the initial assessment by the veterinarian who examined Niko found “no overt signs of abuse or trauma.”
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http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/mar/12/officer-accused-of-beating-dog-no-longer-at-unr/
“He is no longer an employee,” she said. “He was notified of this (Wednesday).”
Tors said she is prohibited from discussing whether Taylor was fired or why he no longer works at UNR because, by law, it is a confidential personnel matter.
Neither Taylor or his attorney could be reached for comment.
When contacted Wednesday about reports Taylor had been fired, Tors said the university had taken action that dealt with Taylor and that the action was based on “an internal matter and not the dog, which would still be within the purview of the Attorney General’s office.”
UNR Police Chief Adam Garcia had put Taylor on paid leave last month pending an internal investigation after a complaint of police abuse was made against him Feb. 3.
“It was a complaint against his inappropriate conduct with a citizen while on duty,” Garcia had said.
In an earlier complaint filed in January with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA said Taylor had been accused of beating his K-9 patrol dog, a male German shepherd name Niko, to the point that the dog defecated on the floor at the university’s police station.
Garcia turned that investigation over to the Attorney General’s office.
Michael Langton, Taylor’s attorney, has stated that his client maintains he is innocent.
Langton said Taylor had explained that the dog defecated on the floor at the UNR police station not out of fear, but because the animal was ill, and that Taylor took him to a veterinarian after the incident.
Garcia said that after PETA contacted him Jan. 29 about the complaint, he had Niko taken away from Taylor and brought to a Reno veterinarian to be examined and kept, pending the outcome of the Attorney General’s investigation.
University officials have said that the initial assessment by the veterinarian who examined Niko found “no overt signs of abuse or trauma.”
____________________
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/mar/12/officer-accused-of-beating-dog-no-longer-at-unr/
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Campus Officer Investigated for Abusing His Police Dog
RENO, Nev.
University of Nevada, Reno's police chief says a campus police officer is under investigation following two separate complaints of citizen abuse and abuse of his police dog.
Chief Adam Garcia says the dog, a male German shepherd named Niko, was removed from service following the Jan. 29 complaint of animal cruelty. The dog was taken to a veterinary clinic for an examination and is being kept there pending an investigation.
Garcia tells the Reno Gazette-Journal that the incident is being investigated by the state attorney general's office.
Garcia also says the officer was placed on paid leave after another complaint was received Feb. 3 from several people alleging police abuse.
The officer's name was not released.
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Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com
More Information: http://www.rgj.com/article/20090210/NEWS01/902100347/1321/NEWS
University of Nevada, Reno's police chief says a campus police officer is under investigation following two separate complaints of citizen abuse and abuse of his police dog.
Chief Adam Garcia says the dog, a male German shepherd named Niko, was removed from service following the Jan. 29 complaint of animal cruelty. The dog was taken to a veterinary clinic for an examination and is being kept there pending an investigation.
Garcia tells the Reno Gazette-Journal that the incident is being investigated by the state attorney general's office.
Garcia also says the officer was placed on paid leave after another complaint was received Feb. 3 from several people alleging police abuse.
The officer's name was not released.
_____________
Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com
More Information: http://www.rgj.com/article/20090210/NEWS01/902100347/1321/NEWS
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