Nye sheriff explains why you shouldn’t flee from the law

A man suspected of driving a stolen vehicle out of Las Vegas led Nye County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a high-speed pursuit into Pahrump on Monday morning, April 15.

According to the sheriff’s office social media page, the vehicle was tracked and eventually located at Walgreens along the intersection of Highways 160 and 372 at approximately 7:50 a.m.

“Deputies attempted to block the suspect in and the suspect vehicle fled westbound,” the post stated. “The suspect vehicle was pursued to the area of Basin Avenue and Blagg Road.”

Chase ends

The post stated that deputies performed what’s known as a “Pursuit Intervention Technique” or a PIT maneuver and stopped the vehicle before the suspect was taken to custody. No injuries were sustained to the deputy or the suspect, according to the sheriff’s office.

Fair warning

The incident was one of several such pursuits in Nye County, which prompted Sheriff Joe McGill to reinforce his personal message to area residents: Wanted suspects may try to run, but they can’t get away from the “long arm of the law.”

Consequences of actions

“Vehicle pursuits lead to injuries and deaths,” McGill said. “There is no question about it. Anytime that an individual flees in a vehicle, which is a several thousand-pound weapon that is going down the roadway, our agency will pursue fleeing vehicles, where oftentimes the conditions are acceptable for us to continue to pursue a fleeing vehicle, we will continue to chase, and when we catch you, that is a felony charge.”

McGill told the Pahrump Valley Times that individuals who fail to yield to law enforcement commands will face serious charges depending on the outcome of the pursuit.

“If a life is taken as a result of a crash, that is murder,” McGill noted. “Do not fail to stop for the police ever, in any jurisdiction, and always, please drive safely.

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