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Driver jailed after leading deputy on high-speed chase

A Pahrump man led Nye County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a high-speed pursuit last week.

According to a sheriff’s office arrest report, Deputy Michael Burke was patrolling eastbound on Highway 372 at approximately 4:21 p.m. on July 7 when he observed a black pick-up truck traveling southbound through the roundabout toward Pahrump Valley Boulevard.

“I noted that the vehicle was not displaying a license plate,” Burke’s report stated. “I turned behind the vehicle and noted that it turned into the parking lot of the Home Gallery Furniture store. After activating my emergency lights and audible siren to conduct a vehicle stop, the driver of the truck, later identified as Christopher Sparks, immediately accelerated away from me and failed to stop for my emergency lights and siren.”

The report went on to state that Sparks entered the roundabout at a high rate of speed and failed to yield to a vehicle already in the roundabout.

Sparks turned eastbound onto Highway 372 and had to negotiate his way around another vehicle also traveling eastbound on Highway 372.

“Sparks then turned southbound at a high rate of speed entering the rear parking lot of Walgreens, endangering the driver of a vehicle waiting to turn onto Highway 372 from the parking lot,” the report noted. “Sparks continued southbound through the parking lot where other vehicles typically travel in a northbound direction.”

Additionally, the report stated that Sparks failed to stop at a posted stop sign located at East Firebird Circle North and South Firebird Circle West.

Sparks’ vehicle then became disabled and he was eventually arrested and taken into custody.

A records check showed the vehicle as unregistered and uninsured.

Sparks faces several additional charges, including disobeying a peace officer, endangering and failure to obey a traffic control device.

He was transported to the Nye County Detention Center without further incident.

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes

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