Man faces attempted murder charge after fight with officer

A man faces an attempted murder charge after Las Vegas police say he fought an officer Friday outside a Jack In The Box in the southeast valley.

Curtis Traupman, 39, faces one count each of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, resisting a public officer with the use of a firearm and battery on a protected person. The officer, identified in court and police documents only as R. Reed, was taken to University Medical Center with minor injuries, including minor cuts and bruising on his face and head.

Police went to the fast food restaurant the 6400 block of Boulder Highway, near Russell Road, after employees said he was yelling at them, according to an arrest report. When Reed got there, he asked Traupman to leave.

But Traupman aggressively approached the officer, police said, and Reed tried to handcuff him. Traupman then knocked Reed on his back, sat on him, and punched him in the face and head. Traupman also tried to take Reed’s gun, according to the arrest report.

Michael Elgas, 48, saw the fight and pulled Traupman, who stands 6 feet 4 inches and weighs about 240 pounds, off Reed, who is about 5 foot 7 inches and 160 pounds, police said. The officer then handcuffed Traupman.

Elgas said that Traupman kept yelling he would kill Reed while he hit him.

Traupman remains in custody at Clark County Detention Center.

Contact reporter Maria Agreda at magreda@reviewjournal.com and (702)383-0391.