Driver had high levels of meth in system when he struck, killed trooper

A carjacking fishy blamed for intentionally striking and sidesplitting a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper had galore times the magnitude of methamphetamine successful his strategy than users known to amusement “violent and irrational behavior,” according to a toxicology study released Thursday.

Douglas Joseph Claiborne, 60, had 9,000 nanograms per milliliter successful his bloodstream connected July 27 erstwhile helium struck trooper Micah May during a constabulary pursuit done Las Vegas connected Interstate 15, the study said.

Blood levels of meth betwixt 200 and 600 nanograms per milliliter tin “also illicit restlessness, confusion, hallucinations, circulatory illness and convulsions,” according to the study prepared by NMS Labs successful Pennsylvania.

Shortly aft the crash, which lodged a critically injured May successful the stolen car, officers stopped Claiborne and changeable him arsenic helium tried to drawback the trooper’s gun, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

Claiborne was deed 18 times, including 8 gunshot wounds to the head, according to a redacted autopsy study prepared by the Clark County coroner’s office. That study besides was released Thursday.

The fishy died astatine the scene. May, 46, was flown successful a constabulary chopper to University Medical Center, wherever helium was declared dormant 2 days later.

Despite his proximity to Claiborne during the shooting, May was not deed by bullets, Metro said astatine the time.

Claiborne carjacked a operation idiosyncratic successful the outskirts of Las Vegas, threatening the idiosyncratic with a knife.

Troopers spotted Claiborne successful the acold southbound valley, and a pursuit ensued connected Interstate 15 erstwhile helium disobeyed orders to stop. The pursuit diverted onto North Las Vegas roadways and backmost onto southbound lanes of the freeway, according to Metro, which noted that Claiborne accelerated past 50 mph and was driving erratically.

North Las Vegas constabulary unsuccessfully deployed halt sticks a fractional twelve times earlier May tried a seventh clip adjacent the Charleston Boulevard exit, Metro said. Claiborne drove astir the devices and deed May with the car.

Trooper Joseph DellaBella and Nevada parole and probation officers Derek Simmons, Garrett Dix and Luis Villanueva opened fire, Metro said.

This is simply a processing story. Check backmost for updates.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez astatine rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Follow him connected Twitter @rickytwrites.

The coroner’s bureau released reports connected Douglas Claiborne’s body. He’s accused of sidesplitting trooper Micah May.