Woman tells police she ‘panicked,’ fled after hitting traffic officer
A woman has been arrested on multiple traffic offenses stemming from a crash that seriously injured a Las Vegas police traffic officer Tuesday.
Alicia Margarite Jones, 22, was booked at the Clark County Detention Center on charges of duty to stop at the scene of an accident, failure to give information to party at a vehicle accident, failure to render aid, driving without a valid driver’s license, operating a motor vehicle when license or registration suspended, no proof of insurance, and failure to yield.
A Metropolitan Police Department arrest report for Jones indicates police believe Jones was behind the wheel of a red sedan that struck the traffic officer as he drove his motorcycle eastbound on Charleston Boulevard, near Rainbow Boulevard. Police said Jones then “panicked” and drove away from the scene without checking on the officer.
The officer, police said, suffered serious but nonlife threatening injuries that include a broken left tibula and fibula, a broken left collarbone and a broken left foot and toes.
Police said Jones was arrested at a nearby apartment complex. She told police she was in an argument with her grandmother hours before the crash. She drove to a nearby park with children in her car and was returning home when her car struck the officer.
“She stated she did not see the motor officer and made the turn,” police said. “She said she struck him and saw him fall and bike tip over, then panicked and left the scene and went back home. She clarified to say she never got out of her vehicle to check on the officer and did not stop. Jones said she does not have a valid driver’s license, nor insurance and the vehicle is not registered.”
Jones said she told her grandmother what happened afterward and the grandmother told her to go back to the scene. She said she was doing so when she was arrested.
Police said Jones also has an outstanding traffic warrant against her pending in Las Vegas Municipal Court.
It was the second crash involving a Las Vegas officer in 72 hours. Overnight Sunday, another officer suffered serious injuries following a collision on U.S. Highway 95.
Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.
