An unidentified criminal sparked a police pursuit on Monday which culminated in a crash on Interstate 15 near the Las Vegas Strip. The perpetrator took his own life with a gun inside the vehicle and died at the scene.
The incident began shortly after midday on Blue Diamond Road, as reported by Las Vegas broadcasting station KLAS. The crash caused the closure of the northbound I-15 lanes between Spring Mountain Road and Sahara Avenue.
In other Las Vegas news, a local pastor is facing trial after being indicted for nine counts of sexual assault, along with a single count of attempted sexual assault and one of child abuse, neglect, or endangerment. The Reverend Bobby Cornealius Smith, 46, of North Las Vegas, is the pastor of New Beginnings Ministries and was indicted with his wife Lashawn Nicole Smith for similar charges.
One of the victims reportedly testified to the grand jury that Smith had allegedly pressured her to use sex toys starting from age 17. Smith was also accused by another woman of asking her to perform oral sex but was rebuffed. Lastly, a third woman, aged 17, claims to have received a photograph of a sex toy from Smith and was forced to use it with Smith and his wife.
More than twenty sex toys were discovered during a search of the Smiths’ residence by North Las Vegas police. Bobby Smith was arrested on the 27th of January and has a trial set to start on the 17th of July. He is currently detained at the Clark County Detention Center, with a bond set at $225,000. Lashawn Nicole Smith has been released from custody and no date has been given for her trial.
Finally, three people who attended the Lovers & Friends Las Vegas music festival last May are suing event organizers for alleged negligence and unsafe conditions at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. Audience members were trampled as they attempted to flee after hearing a suspected gunfire which was later revealed to be unfounded. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County court, with the defendants named as Live Nation, NPB Companies, CrowdRX, Phil Ruffin, and Front Gate Ticketing Solutions.
One person died at the festival due to a heart condition, according to the Clark County Coroner’s Office. The Las Vegas Festival Grounds is located near Circus-Circus and can host up to 85,000 people.
