Las Vegas police used traffic camera video to find DUI suspect

Las Vegas police used live video from a traffic camera to help catch a motorist suspected of running over a woman while driving under the influence, according to the suspect’s arrest report.

Stephen Huddleston, 41, of Las Vegas, is charged with driving under the influence causing death in a Sunday afternoon collision that killed a 46-year-old Dimitri Stewart as she walked in a crosswalk on South Boulder Highway at Missouri Avenue. Police allege Huddleston was driving a silver BMW when he ran a red light, striking and killing the victim.

Police said at the time Stewart was struck, Huddleston was fleeing the scene of another crash at Nellis Boulevard and Boulder Highway. After running her over, he fled this scene as well, then struck a light pole at South Boulder Highway and Russell Road, police said.

Stewart was pronounced dead at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center Sunday. Her cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt force injuries and the manner was an accident, according to the Clark County coroner’s office.

An arrest report in the case indicates police accessed a live video feed from a traffic camera on the 6000 block of East Russell Road as they investigated the trio of accidents.

An officer “focused the camera on a male wearing a black and white shirt and blue jeans” on Russell, the arrest report states.

The report indicated that the camera surveillance was done by an officer in the Metropolitan Police Department’s Fusion Watch center, a 24/7 operations center and focal point for information sharing, real time crime monitoring, threat warning and dissemination and suspicious activity reporting.

Spotted on live traffic cam

Officers watched as the male driver of the BMW grabbed the hand of a female passenger in the vehicle, then walked her westbound on Russell. The camera captured the two separating on foot, with the woman walking to a convenience store on Boulder Highway. The woman, 59, was immediately contacted by a police sergeant. She told the sergeant she was Huddleston’s mother.

She “identifies her son, Stephen Huddleston … as the driver of the BMW,” the arrest report states.

“Ms. Huddleston said she was in town visiting her son, Stephen,” the report states. “She said she is not familiar with the city and did not remember the bar or club they were at. She said they were drinking together and left the bar with him driving. She said she noticed that he was drunker than she was when they left.”

Huddleston’s mother was taken to the hospital for medical treatment as police searched for her son. Based on the evidence from the traffic camera, they set up a perimeter and located Huddleston just off Boulder Highway. A still image from the traffic camera was used to identify Huddleston as the man who allegedly fled the scene of the crash.

“He had blood on his hands and appeared impaired,” the report states, adding Huddleston denied any involvement in the crash.

Huddleston was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and multiple other charges. The reports state blood was drawn from the suspect and he was later interviewed by police.

Claimed car was stolen

“During the interview Mr. Huddleston told (a) detective…he was drinking Corona beers at an unidentified bar,” the report states, adding Huddleston said he also went to another bar and “had more drinks.”

“When Mr. Huddleston exited the second bar he said he realized his vehicle had been stolen,” the report states.

Police then questioned Huddleston about what they said were inconsistencies in his account, including the fact he had blood on his hands when he was arrested.

“At that point Mr. Huddleston invoked his right to an attorney and all questions ceased,” police wrote in the report.

One witness interviewed by the police described the fatal crash as “horrific.” Another said they believed the vehicle that struck Stewart was traveling above the posted speed limit.

Police also obtained video from the exterior of an area drug store showing the BMW slamming into the light pole.

“The video quality is fair; however, the vehicle is left in position and picked up by LVMPD RTCC cameras with Mr. Huddleston standing outside of the driver’s door,” police wrote.

Huddleston is being held on $100,000 bail. He also faces multiple counts of duty to stop at scene of an accident, driving on a suspended license and other misdemeanor counts. His next court appearance is scheduled for Friday morning in Las Vegas Justice Court.

Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0390. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter. Review-Journal staff writer Sabrina Schnur contributed to this report.