Vegas Officers Pause To Honor Detective Killed In Freeway Beam Horror

Las Vegas police and fellow first responders stepped back from their day jobs Thursday to honor Detective Justin Terry, four years after a freak freeway construction accident claimed his life in the line of duty. Terry died when a steel construction beam crashed down onto his vehicle as he drove on U.S. 95 on June 10, 2022.

In a remembrance post marking the anniversary, the department highlighted Terry's more than 20 years on the force, including his work on sexual-assault cases and tracking sex offenders. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Terry joined Metro on August 21, 2001, and was 45 years old when the beam struck his vehicle on U.S. 95 on June 10, 2022.

How the Crash Unfolded

State and local reports at the time detailed how an oversized tractor-trailer hauling an excavator hit a steel crossbar that had been installed as a height-warning device, shearing it loose and sending the beam crashing down onto the sedan behind it near the Centennial Parkway and 215 Beltway interchange. As reported by KNPR, the beam fell across the northbound lanes around 7 a.m., and bystanders rushed in to try to help before emergency crews reached the scene.

Remembering His Service

Colleagues recall Terry as a hands-on detective who focused on protecting children and finding practical ways to support patrol officers. One of those efforts was an enduro motorcycle program that allowed officers to reach remote encampments and hard-to-access areas.

The Officer Down Memorial Page and the Las Vegas Police Protective Association note that Terry regularly took part in the annual Cops On Top memorial hike. Hundreds of officers, relatives, and community members turned out for his June 2022 service, a show of support that stretched well beyond his own unit.

Legal Aftermath

The crash set off a wave of investigations and legal action. In February 2023, Terry's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit targeting contractors and the truck driver involved in the incident, according to local reporting. Prosecutors later charged the driver with vehicular manslaughter in May 2023.

The family's civil case was reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, while the criminal charge was covered by FOX5 Las Vegas.

Metro's anniversary tribute, along with the memories shared at Terry's 2022 memorial, underscores the lasting human cost of the crash and the lingering questions about safety and accountability that followed. Local coverage also noted that Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and Metro lowered their flags to half-staff after the original crash, a highly visible sign of mourning across the valley, according to KTNV.