Friday, April 29, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Wynn Las Vegas executive, councilman's aide arrested, jailed

J.C. Campbell Lisa Clearwater Campbell

A Wynn Las Vegas executive was Tasered by police and jailed on drunken driving and hit-and-run charges early Thursday after he dragged an officer who tried to prevent him from fleeing a car accident in front of the newly opened Strip resort, police said.

The executive's wife, an aide to Las Vegas City Councilman Michael Mack, was taken into custody on a misdemeanor charge after she attempted to stop her husband's arrest by informing officers of her position at City Hall, police said.

J.C. Campbell, Wynn's director of compensation and benefits, and his wife, City Council community liaison Lisa Clearwater Campbell, both remained jailed Thursday at the Clark County Detention Center in connection with the incident.

"I am just shocked. It's so out of character," Mack said of his longtime aide, a well-liked worker at City Hall. "Lisa is not only a good employee. She's a good friend, and I'm sorry to hear this."

Clearwater Campbell, who has been employed by the city for 10 years and earns a base salary of $67,838, was placed on paid administrative leave Thursday until city officials learn all the details of the incident, City Manager Doug Selby said.

"I hope it's not as bad as it sounds," said Mayor Oscar Goodman, whose office is on the same floor as Clearwater Campbell's.

Wynn Las Vegas spokeswoman Denise Randazzo did not return several phone messages Thursday.

The couple's arrest unfolded on Las Vegas Boulevard in front of Wynn Las Vegas less than two hours after the lavish, $2.7 billion resort opened to the public.

About 1:45 a.m., Metropolitan Police Department officers on hand to help control crowds and traffic witnessed a Porsche Boxster driven by Campbell strike another vehicle near the intersection of Spring Mountain Road, Sgt. Chris Jones said.

The officers ordered Campbell to stop. When he began driving away, one officer reached into the driver's side area to forcibly stop the vehicle but Campbell continued driving, pulling the officer, Jones said.

The officer then stunned Campbell with a Taser, which delivers a 50,000-volt electric jolt that temporarily renders muscles rigid and useless. The officer then stopped the vehicle.

"It was then determined he was intoxicated," Jones said. "While conducting the investigation, the suspect's wife, Lisa Clearwater Campbell, began causing a disturbance and told the officers they were not going to take her husband to jail. She advised the officers that she worked for Councilman Mack and continued the disturbance and was subsequently arrested."

Campbell, 61, faces only misdemeanor charges because no one was seriously injured in the initial minor collision or the confrontation.

He was booked into the detention center on counts of driving under the influence, failure to drive in a travel lane, hit and run with property damage, failure to report an accident to police and failure to render aid in an accident.

Clearwater Campbell faces a single misdemeanor count of obstruction of a police officer.

The Porsche was impounded.