NHP says Las Vegas officer, motorcyclist at fault in fatal crash — VIDEO
The Nevada Highway Patrol determined that both a Las Vegas police officer and a motorcyclist were at fault for a crash in the southwest Las Vegas Valley that resulted in the motorcyclist’s death.
An off-duty Metropolitan Police Department officer was heading east on Mountains Edge Parkway and turning left onto South Buffalo Drive at about 2 p.m. Jan 12 when the car collided with a motorcyclist driving west on Mountains Edge, Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Jason Buratczuk said the day of the crash.
After the Highway Patrol reviewed civilian dash camera footage, it “placed fault” on the Metro officer and the motorcyclist, 34-year-old Charles Kirkling, the Highway Patrol said Wednesday.
The dash camera footage showed that both the car and motorcycle were in the intersection during a red light traffic signal. The motorcyclist was also traveling at 60 mph, almost double the speed limit, the Highway Patrol said.
Metro declined Wednesday to release the off-duty officer’s name or comment on the crash. The department typically releases the names of drivers and passengers involved in fatal or critical-injury crashes.
No charges have been filed in the crash, the Highway Patrol said Wednesday.
Crash footage shows the traffic signal turning from yellow to red during the officer’s left turn and as the motorcyclist drives through the intersection.
The Highway Patrol has previously said the officer was turning left at a blinking yellow traffic signal.
Kirkling was thrown from the motorcycle and died at the scene. The officer was hospitalized with nonlife-threatening injures, but has since been released, the Highway Patrol has said.
The Highway Patrol was investigating the crash because of the Metro officer’s involvement.
“We have an agreement with Metro, where if they have anything that is involving one of their officers we’ll go ahead and handle that crash, and same thing for us if one of our troopers is involved in any type of serious crash,” Buratczuk said on Jan. 12, adding that it’s “just for transparency.”
Neither driver appeared to be impaired, Buratczuk has said.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com o r702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.