County official caused pileup, LV police say

A Clark County building inspector fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run wreck caused an eight-vehicle pileup at Desert Inn and Sandhill roads Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

Seven people suffered non-life threatening injuries in the 1:45 p.m. crash, said Las Vegas police spokesman Jose Montoya. They were taken to area hospitals.

The driver, identified by county officials as Jeffrey D. Sudweeks, was fleeing at a high rate of speed from a wreck at Desert Inn and Horizon Street, Montoya said.

"This looks pretty nasty," Montoya said.

Investigators will be working to determine whether Sudweeks was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, suffering from a medical condition, or intentionally driving recklessly, Montoya said.

Sudweeks has not been charged, but the investigation is ongoing, Montoya said.

The intersection was closed for more than four hours after the wreck.

Sudweeks has been with the county Development Services Department since Sept. 15, 2004.

County spokesman Dan Kulin said that if a medical condition caused the crash, the county would require a physician to certify that Sudweeks was able to perform his job.

Sudweeks will be asked to take a drug and alcohol test, and if he does not release the results, he will face disciplinary action, Kulin said.

"Safety is our utmost concern," Kulin said. "We will be conducting a complete review of the incident and the circumstances surrounding it."

Sudweeks is one of about 150 county building inspectors whose responsibilities include checking to see that construction conforms to plumbing, electrical, mechanical and structural building codes.