Weekend fatal crash in southwest Las Vegas investigated
The Nevada Highway Patrol on Tuesday had not determined which vehicle was at fault in Saturday’s fatal crash involving a motorcyclist and an off-duty Las Vegas police officer’s personal car.
An off-duty Metropolitan Police Department officer was eastbound on Mountains Edge Parkway and turning left onto South Buffalo Drive at about 2 p.m. when the car collided with a motorcyclist driving west on Mountains Edge, Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Jason Buratczuk said Saturday.
The motorcyclist “began a locked wheel skid,” but struck the right side of the car, the Highway Patrol said Tuesday afternoon.
The motorcyclist, Charles Kirkling Jr., 34, was thrown from the motorcycle and died at the scene. The officer was hospitalized with nonlife-threatening injuries, but has since been released, the Highway Patrol said Tuesday.
The officer was turning on a blinking yellow light, but the motorcyclist appeared to be speeding, Buratczuk said Saturday.
The Highway Patrol had not determined who was at fault, Buratczuk said Tuesday. Impairment was not believe to be a factor in the crash, and “no enforcement action” has been taken, the Highway Patrol said.
Metro declined to release the name of the off-duty officer on Tuesday.
The crash remains under investigation, the Highway Patrol said.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.
