Metro sought arrest warrant for Nye deputy after motorcycle pursuit in Las Vegas

The Metropolitan Police Department sought a warrant for the arrest of a Nye County traffic deputy who crossed a median and rammed a motorcyclist with his patrol car during a pursuit that occurred in Las Vegas in late August, police records show.

An investigative report obtained through a public records request showed that detectives believed deputy Spencer Hagan committed battery with a deadly weapon and misrepresented the facts about him striking Johnathan Rios near the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Mountain Vista Street, which sent Rios tumbling to the ground before a foot pursuit commenced.

Rios told Metro detectives that he was startled by Hagan, whom he described as “very aggressive” and believed he was “trying to run him over.”

“Deputy Hagan did willfully and unlawfully use deadly force in the form of his patrol vehicle versus a motorcycle against Rios,” Detective Marc Colon wrote in his report that was submitted to the Clark County district attorney’s office. “It is reasonable to believe a patrol vehicle could cause substantial harm or death when striking a motorcycle. Deputy Hagan did use this force while trying to apprehend Rios, who, at the time force was used, was guilty of reckless driving.”

No case had yet been filed in Las Vegas Justice Court, records show. Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill did not respond to a request for comment.

Hagan was in the Las Vegas area on Aug. 28 as part of “Joining Forces Day,” a joint distracted drivers campaign sponsored by the Nevada State Police Office of Traffic Safety that positioned officers on Interstate 11 and the 215 Beltway, police records showed.

Before Hagan spotted Rios, Metro’s investigation found that Hagan was weaving through traffic at high speeds without a siren, the report stated. When Rios was directly in front of him, Hagan’s vehicle had reached 105 miles per hour before he pulled up next to him and turned on his siren, the report said.

In the arrest report for Rios, who was taken into custody on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, reckless driving, operating an unregistered vehicle, driving without a license and disobeying a peace officer, Hagan stated he observed a motorcycle weaving through traffic on Interstate 11 near Charleston Boulevard before the pursuit ensued. Hagan did not know the motorcycle was stolen until after Rios was apprehended, the arrest report showed.

Las Vegas Justice Court records show that the district attorney’s office declined to prosecute all but one of the charges against Rios before dismissing the last charge in October.

Hagan wrote that he reached speeds around 90 mph while pursuing the motorcyclist, who continued to weave in and out of traffic and drive through multiple restricted areas before exiting on the Tropicana Avenue off-ramp.

Metro interviews deputy

In an interview with Metro, Hagan said pursuits are at the deputy’s discretion and do not require supervisor authorization. He added that Nye County deputies may pursue for traffic violations, the report stated.

Nye County’s pursuit policy, however, states that pursuits outside of the county require “the concurrence of a NCSO supervisor.” The policy also states that use of deadly force should be considered as a last resort and “require permission of a pursuit supervisor, if feasible.” Nye County policy does permit “boxing in” at low speeds, if there is an imminent threat and with supervisor approval.

After Rios allegedly ran through a red light, the deputy wrote that he “attempted to block Rios in,” near the congested intersection of Mountain Vista Street and Tropicana Avenue. Hagan wrote that it caused Rios “to lose his balance on his motorcycle, almost falling at a near stop.”

However, a civilian video and surveillance footage showed that Hagan made contact with Rios, the Metro report said.

When confronted with the surveillance footage, Hagan told Metro detectives he did not intend to, and he did not realize he made contact until seeing the video.

But after reviewing the evidence, Colon wrote that detectives believed “Hagan was misrepresenting the facts.”

He noted in his report that Hagan’s questioning of Rios indicated that Hagan knew he had hit the motorcycle. Colon also wrote that Hagan was seen on his dash camera inspecting the motorcycle and later moved his patrol vehicle and the motorcycle.

“Detectives believe Deputy Hagan moved his vehicle from its original location to hide the fact that the motorcycle was partially under the vehicle’s bumper,” Colon wrote. “Deputy Hagan was observed inspecting its bumper and then later admitted he did see a tire mark on it, leading detectives to believe Deputy Hagan knew there was contact.”

Contact Devan Patel at [email protected].