A suspected DUI driver struck a Las Vegas Metro police officer and a paramedic Wednesday night in a parking lot near Lake Mead Boulevard and Decatur Boulevard. Both were taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries, and crews at the scene reported damage to an ambulance and a patrol vehicle. Police said the driver fled the scene and had not been located as of Wednesday night.
According to FOX5, officials with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said the crash in the parking lot near Lake Mead and Decatur left the two first responders injured and damaged both an ambulance and a patrol unit. The station reported that police said the driver "has yet to be caught," described the injuries as non life threatening and called the incident developing.
Investigation under way
Detectives with Metro's traffic and patrol units were handling the case and have not released identifying details about the driver or the vehicle. Per the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the department lists press and traffic contacts for tipsters, and anyone with information is asked to use those channels. In short, if you saw something in that parking lot, Metro wants to hear from you.
DUI enforcement context
The crash comes as Metro and partner agencies have been stepping up impaired driving enforcement across the valley. As reported by FOX5, the recent STOP DUI "Heroes & Handcuffs" ceremony highlighted the human cost of impaired driving and honored officers who made high numbers of DUI arrests.
Why it matters
Officers and emergency medical personnel are at risk when responding to roadside incidents, and prior reporting shows suspected impaired drivers have struck patrol cars and injured officers in other valley crashes. That pattern was noted in coverage by KTNV, underscoring the hazards first responders face while working scenes that are supposed to make the rest of us safer. Anyone with tips or video related to Wednesday's crash was asked to contact Metro's public information office or Traffic Bureau.
