Henderson officer back on leave in connection with hit-and-run investigation
Former Henderson police union president Gary Hargis was placed back on administrative leave last month in connection with hitting a motorcyclist while driving an SUV.
On Oct. 13, Hargis was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee near Greenway Road and Van Wagenen Street. He was suspected of striking 18-year-old Kevin Dammers’ motorcycle head on and driving away.
Dammers said he suffered an ankle injury in the crash.
Henderson spokeswoman Madeleine Skains said Tuesday that Hargis was placed on administrative leave on June 6.
“He will remain on leave pending the completion of the administrative process involved with the investigation,” Skains said in an email.
The Clark County district attorney’s office declined to charge Hargis with a felony hit-and-run charge, but in December, he was charged in Henderson Municipal Court with misdemeanor counts of duty to stop at the scene of a crash, failure to maintain a lane of travel and failure to give information to a party involved in a crash.
In May, Hargis returned to work in an administrative capacity despite an ongoing court case. Two weeks later, he pleaded no contest to leaving the scene of a crash.
As part of the plea, the two other charges were dismissed, he was ordered to complete 24 hours of community service, participate in a victim impact panel and pay a $640 fine.
Skains could not be immediately reached Tuesday to clarify why Hargis was placed back on leave.
Hargis has worked for Henderson since 2000. In November, he lost his re-election bid for Henderson Police Officers’ Association president to Shawn Thibeault.
Contact David Wilson at dwilson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @davidwilson_RJ on Twitter.
