A Metro police officer narrowly escaped serious injury when hit by a car in a Las Vegas hit and run accident as he conducted an earlier crash investigation.
The unnamed officer suffered injuries to his knee and hip while investigating a crash that had occurred at the intersection of Windmill Lane and Eastern Avenue just before 6:00pm. According to colleagues at the scene, the traffic had been stopped but a driver went around the stationary vehicles, accelerated away and hit the officer.
The driver of the car subsequently hit another vehicle as he turned into Spencer Street – which police believe disabled his car – and fled on foot along with a passenger. Police apprehended the passenger quickly, and then detained the driver responsible for the Las Vegas hit and run accident a few hours later.
The injured officer was taken to the University Medical Center, where is recovering from his injuries. Police chiefs praised the officer for his quick-thinking to cling onto the front of the car and then pushing himself off and landing on his side. They said his actions probably saved him from more serious injury.
Fleeing a Las Vegas hit and run accident when a bodily injury has been sustained is a category B felony in Nevada, and the driver who hit the police office could face between two and fifteen years in prison along with a substantial fine and revocation of their license.
Update: Police later released the names of the driver and passenger apprehended after the Las Vegas hit and run accident. The driver – Jacob Groh (18) from Henderson – was booked on suggested charges of attempted murder and drug-related DUI, while his colleague – Aaron Miller (18) from Las Vegas – was booked on a suggested charge of failing to give an officer information at the scene of the accident.