Thursday, September 08, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Handcuffed suspect flees, is in custody after chase

A handcuffed burglary suspect escaped from custody Wednesday afternoon, stole a police car and led officers on a pursuit along the highways, at times driving into oncoming traffic.

The incident began with a suspicious vehicle call on the 6300 block of Tanzanite Avenue, near Jones Boulevard and Ann Road, Las Vegas police officer Eric Robison said.

Officers found the man and arrested him on burglary charges. He was handcuffed and placed in the back seat of a patrol car, Robison said.

"Somehow he was able to get into the front seat ... and drive away in the patrol vehicle," Robison said.

The police car crashed a short distance away, but the man escaped by jumping over a wall, he said.

Two nearby schools went into lockdown while police searched for the man, who was soon spotted driving away in a gray Ford minivan.

Police followed the minivan as it sped along Ann Road to U.S. Highway 95, then south on the highway to the Spaghetti Bowl. At the Interstate 15 interchange, the driver headed south in the northbound lanes, Robison said.

The driver continued south and exited at Spring Mountain Road, where police cornered the minivan and arrested the driver. His name was not immediately available.

Robison said the minivan caused several minor collisions. The worst injury was an officer complaining of a possible back injury.