Family of man killed in crash files federal lawsuit against police

Having already been awarded the maximum judgment allowed under state law, the family of a man killed in a crash with a Las Vegas police vehicle has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit seeking millions from the department.

Attorney Marc Saggese, who represents the family of Raymond Yeghiazarian, accused detectives of deliberately slanting their investigation to favor officer Jared Wicks, the driver of the police sedan involved in the 2007 accident.

A biased investigation violated Yeghiazarian’s right to due process, he alleged.

A Clark County District Court jury in August awarded the family $2.2 million. But a judge reduced that to $250,000, the maximum payout allowed for wrongful death lawsuits in Nevada.

The Metropolitan Police Department is appealing that verdict to the Nevada Supreme Court. A police spokesman declined to comment, citing the pending legislation.

Saggese criticized the department for appealing the already reduced sum.

“Even if the citizens of Las Vegas think they’re responsible to the tune of $2 million, and it’s reduced to nearly a 10th, they’re still not going to pay a 10th of the verdict? That smacks of disrespect,” he said.

There is no limit on payouts for federal civil rights cases. The new lawsuit asks for more than $7 million in damages.

Yeghiazarian, 47, was injured when Wicks, then with the department for 18 months, sped through the intersection of Sahara Avenue and Fort Apache Road about 11 p.m. on July 4, 2007.

Yeghiazarian was waiting to make a left turn on a green yield light. He turned in front of Wicks, who was pursuing a white van without his lights and siren on.

Wicks suffered minor injuries in the crash. Yeghiazarian was hospitalized in a coma and died on July 26, 2007.

Experts testified that Wicks was driving between 60 and 75 mph in the 45 mph zone and that he did not slow down before going through the intersection. Wicks did have a green light, and jurors found him 25 percent at fault for the crash.

Saggese said detectives wrongfully claimed Yeghiazarian was 100 percent at fault.

“Officers at Metro conspired to muddy the waters in relation to the accident to absolve their brother,” he said.

According to the lawsuit, police refused to release 911 calls that would have implicated Wicks.

The lawsuit also alleged that detectives tampered with information on the police vehicle’s “black box” and also declined to interview witnesses who made unfavorable statements to police.

Contact reporter Mike Blasky at
mblasky@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283.