Judge discloses injuries she suffered when struck by car

District Judge Linda Bell suffered several debilitating injuries when she was struck by a vehicle outside the Clark County Regional Justice Center last month, and the time line of her return to the bench is unclear, according to her own account of the incident released Tuesday.

Bell said she has “no recollection” of the Nov. 7 crash that left her with a broken leg, a cervical disc injury, a concussion and soft tissue injuries.

While in a crosswalk, the veteran judge was hit by a vehicle with an out-of-state license plate that was headed the wrong way on Clark Avenue, a one-way street where traffic is supposed to flow west, court spokeswoman Mary Ann Price said.

The judges’ parking lot is across Clark on the southern side of the courthouse.

Bell said she was “not texting or otherwise distracted,” and the car that was traveling between 25 and 35 mph never slowed down before hitting her because the driver did not see her.

“Apparently, after I was struck, I landed on the hood of the car,” according to a statement from the judge. “When the car stopped, I hit the top of my head on the ground, then slid on the right side of my face and body.”

Price did not know whether the driver had been charged.

The area has heavy foot traffic, as the south courthouse entrance is used for lawyers, jurors and jurists. It is also the location of the county marriage bureau.

Clearly marked crossing lanes and signs are posted in the middle of the road so pedestrians can safely cross.

Bell, who took the bench in 2009, was released from the University Medical Center the afternoon of the crash, and officials originally expected her to return to the bench the following week.

“Unfortunately, my injuries were more extensive than they originally appeared,” Bell said.

The judge has yet to return to the bench, and on Tuesday, Bell said she would not be able to return to work until concussion symptoms subside and she receives “appropriate neurological clearance.”

Contact reporter David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find him on Twitter: @randompoker