An officer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has pleaded no contest to a felony charge of criminal endangerment and guilty to misdemeanor DUI, for a crash he was responsible for on Old Highway 10 in Laurel last May, as reported by the Billings Gazette.
T.N., an 11-year veteran with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, had a blood alcohol level between 0.192 and 0.219 percent at approximately 10:30 p.m. on May 27, per prosecutors, before ramming his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck into the rear end of a Ford Focus.
The state legal driving limit is 0.08 percent.
Montana Highway Patrol investigators found that T.N., 47, drove almost twice the legal 50 mph driving limit on that stretch of road before the impact of the accident caused both vehicles to rollover numerous times.
T.N., not wearing a seatbelt per investigators, was partially ejected and pinned down under his truck. After thirty minutes rescue crews were able to dislodge him and then transfer him to the Billings Clinic.
The Ford Focus was driven by B.B., 19, and held one passenger, K.W., 20. Both sustained several cuts and bruises and received treatment a St. Vincent Healthcare.
B.B.’s parents had been drinking with T.N. at two bars in Laurel prior to the accident. The couple, friends of T.N.’s, reported that T.N. drank “significant amounts of alcohol through the evening”.
Allegedly before the three parted ways – B.B.’s parents declining to go to a strip club with T.N. and T.N. declining their offer of a ride or to sleep over in their home – T.N. was seen urinating in public.
In a plea agreement with prosecutors, T.N.’s charges were changed from two felony counts of criminal endangerment to one count of felony.
A sentence recommendation was not included in the plea agreement.
A plea of no-contest means that the defendant is not admitting to any guilt – but only acknowledging that prosecutors would be able to convict at trial based on the evidence presented. The no-contest plea is given the same weight as an admission of guilt at sentencing.
T.N. is free without bond while the case is pending and his sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 5.
A message left for the Metropolitan Police Department agency spokesman, to determine T.N.’s current employment status, was not immediately returned.
Reporters noted that at the time T.N. was charged he was married to the Las Vegas Deputy Police Chief K.O.
Deputy Chief K.O. is a 25-year veteran with the police department and is currently employed as the chief of staff for Clark County Sheriff D.G.
The Sheriff manages both the city police and county sheriff’s department in Las Vegas and Clark County combined.
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