Portion of I-15 renamed under NDOT program
A stretch of Interstate 15 in Las Vegas has been dedicated in memory of Nevada Highway Patrol trooper Micah May, who was killed in 2021 on the interstate in the line of duty.
The stretch of I-15 near Sahara Avenue is dedicated to May, who died in July 2021 after he was struck by a carjacking suspect driving on the freeway, the Nevada Department of Transportation announced Monday. Memorial signs have been installed in each direction of I-15 near Sahara in May’s honor.
May was struck by the suspect’s stolen vehicle while deploying stop sticks on I-15, in an attempt to halt a car chase that spanned portions of the freeway and surface streets. May later died at University Medical Center from crash injuries.
The portion of I-15 named after May is part of NDOT’s new Honorary Highway Name program, memorializing first responders who died in the line of duty on state roadways. Highway segments of up to 1 mile can be named after officers killed on the job, as part of the program.
“The dedication signs honor the legacy of each of the Nevada State Troopers and first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty,” Nevada State Police Director George Togliatti said in a statement. “We will never forget their sacrifice in serving and protecting Nevada and our communities.”
Other signs recently installed across the state include:
■ U.S. Highway 93 near the U.S. 93 Alternate junction, north of Ely, dedicated to trooper Benjamin Jenkins, who was shot and killed in March 2020
■ Interstate 80 approximately 20 miles east of Fernley was dedicated to Bureau of Indian Affairs Capt. Jack Spencer Sr., who died in a vehicle crash in September 1998
■ I-80 approximately 1 mile east of Lovelock dedicated to trooper Carlos Borland, who was shot and killed in December 1993
■ I-80 10 miles west of Elko dedicated to Bureau of Indian Affairs officer Creighton Spencer, who died in a vehicle crash in March 2001
The signs installed for Jack Spencer and Creighton Spencer mark the first time that Native American officers have been honored on roads in the state under NDOT’s control.
“Keeping the Spencer name a visible part of our communities is an appropriate tribute to this family whose loved ones gave their own lives to protect ours,” Nevada Indian Commission Director Stacey Montooth said in a statement. “The instinct to run to danger and the strength of character of law enforcement and all first responders is never so obvious as when our Circle of Life is broken. For the Nevada Indian Commission, this tribute to these two courageous Bureau of Indian Affairs officers is undertaken and supported with reverence and gratitude.”
NDOT’s program creates a formal process to request stretches of highway be named in honor of first responders who died on duty on the state road network. Those eligible for potential highway memorial signs include law enforcement officers, paramedics, NDOT staff and tow truck operators. Immediate family members of a deceased first responder can request their loved one be added to the program.
“Whether law enforcement, EMS workers or traffic responders such as NDOT or tow truck personnel, Nevada’s first responders put their lives on the line every day with one goal: to help keep us all safe on Nevada highways,” NDOT Director Tracy Larkin Thomason said in a statement. “This program is another opportunity for Nevadans to recognize and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to serve us all.”
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Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.