Detectives find police badge in car of driver accused of killing 2 troopers on Las Vegas freeway
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Las Vegas Metro police detectives found a Nevada State Police badge inside the car of a driver who allegedly drove impaired and collided with two state troopers, killing them last week, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.
Police arrested Jemarcus Williams, 46, at an apartment complex near MLK Boulevard and Owens Avenue around 9 a.m. Thursday, the 8 News Now Investigators first reported. A judge set Williams’ bail at $500,000 during his first court appearance Friday.
Williams ordered a bottle of Hennessy and four vodka drinks with another man at the Palms Casino Resort before the hit-and-run, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained. In a second document the 8 News Now Investigators obtained Monday, detectives said Williams also ordered a drink at about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, shared the bottle service with several people and then ordered another drink.
Around 1 a.m. Thursday, Willams and another man were recorded on surveillance video entering the Palms, police said in documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained. The men then ordered the bottle of Hennessy and the three vodka drinks at the property’s Ghost Bar, police said.
At 3:01 a.m., Williams returned to the casino floor but then took the elevator to the Ghost Bar again, police said. There, hotel security officers approached him. Two minutes later, “security [generated] a report that they are escorting an intoxicated man out,” documents said.
At 3:15 a.m., Williams left the casino with the security officers, police said. Williams then hid behind a tree and, six minutes later, got into the car, prosecutors said.
The crash, which killed Sgt. Michael Abbate and Trooper Alberto Felix, was reported around 3:24 a.m. The impact caused the two men to fall from the offramp to the road below, sources said.
Police arrested Williams around 9 a.m. and took two samples of his blood — one around noon and one around 1 p.m. Williams’ first blood draw returned a blood-alcohol level of 0.19; the second a 0.17, documents said. The legal limit in Nevada is 0.08.
During a vehicle search, police said they found a Nevada State Police metal badge in the car, documents said. It was unclear how the badge ended up in the car, which police said was registered in Williams’ wife’s name.
Documents also indicate prosecutors suspect THC or marijuana affected Williams’ ability to drive, documents said.
Williams was facing two felony counts, each of DUI resulting in death, reckless driving resulting in death, and failing to stop at the scene of a crash.
Prosecutors added three charges to the case on Monday, including speeding and failure to decrease speed for an emergency vehicle.
Sources told 8 News Now Investigators he smelled of alcohol when officers took him into custody. The crash and ensuing investigation resulted in the northbound lanes of I-15 through the Spaghetti Bowl being closed for around 12 hours.
Judge Daniel Westmeyer scheduled Williams’ next court date for Dec. 5. Should Williams post bail, he would have to wear an ankle monitor with GPS and alcohol monitoring.
“Palms Casino Resort is fully cooperating with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department regarding its investigation into the tragic hit-and-run incident involving two Nevada Highway Patrol officers,” a spokesperson for the Palms said Saturday. “All of us at Palms Casino Resort extend our deepest sympathies to the officers and their families.”
Felix’s service was scheduled for Friday, Dec. 8 at 10:30 a.m. at Central Church in Henderson. Abbate’s service was scheduled for Monday, Dec. 11 at 10:30 a.m. at Central Church in Henderson. Both memorial services are open for the community to attend. The services will also be available to live stream on NSP’s YouTube channel.
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