Bail set at $100K for Metro officer charged in hit-and-run crashes
Bail was set at $100,000 Wednesday for a Las Vegas police officer accused of leaving the scene after hitting three cars on Interstate 15.
Officer Antonio Munoz Jr., a Metropolitan Police Department officer since 2000, appeared in court Wednesday for the first time since his Saturday morning arrest.
Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Suzan Baucum advised Munoz at the hearing that he should not drive if he makes bail. In addition, he must wear an alcohol-monitoring bracelet.
A criminal complaint charges Munoz, 39, with three felony counts of leaving the scene of an accident. He was being held at the Clark County Detention Center.
Authorities said Munoz was off duty when he was pulled over on I-15 just after midnight. A Nevada Highway Patrol officer had spotted him committing minor traffic infractions, then noticed significant damage to Munoz’s white GMC Yukon.
According to the Highway Patrol, three different hit-and-run crashes happened shortly before Munoz was pulled over. The crashes happened on a brief stretch of northbound freeway between the Sahara Avenue and Charleston Boulevard exits.
All three crashes appeared to have been caused by the same vehicle. One person was seriously injured.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Rutledge said Munoz’s blood-alcohol content was 0.13 percent. The legal limit for drivers in Nevada is 0.08 percent.
Munoz was arrested on 15 counts, including DUI.
“There will be some sort of DUI charges filed, but we don’t have enough information yet,” Rutledge said Wednesday.
Defense attorney Josh Tomsheck said Munoz has “severe medical issues.”
“He’s had cancer for quite some time,” the lawyer said.
Contact Melissa Gomez at mgomez@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Find @melissagomez004 on Twitter.
