Vegas Officer Pleads Not Guilty In Pursuit Death

A Las Vegas police officer on Tuesday pleaded not guilty in District Court to charges related to a May police pursuit that left one person dead and another injured.

Last month a North Las Vegas justice of the peace ruled that prosecutors had enough evidence to send Aron Carpenter’s case to District Court.

Carpenter faces one count each of felony reckless driving and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter for his role in the pursuit that ended with the death of Ivan Carrillo.

Evidence showed Carrillo, 26, was high on methamphetamine at the time.

Authorities say the chase began about 10:20 p.m. after a report of a possible drunken driver on the east side of the valley. After Carrillo refused to pull over, Carpenter and officer Andrew Charles Ubbens, in separate cars, chased his vehicle north along Nellis and Las Vegas boulevards. The two officers were ordered three times to end the chase.

With the cars speeding at more than 60 mph near Lone Mountain, Carpenter’s patrol car bumped Carrillo’s car, sending it into oncoming traffic and triggering a four-car crash that killed Carrillo. A person in another vehicle was injured, authorities said.

Although Carpenter’s actions were consistent with an attempted Precision Intervention Technique, also called PIT, he told investigators he was performing an evasive maneuver to avoid colliding with Carillo’s Honda.

Carpenter, a four-year Metropolitan Police Department veteran, is on unpaid suspension pending the outcome of the case.

Ubbens last month pleaded no contest to failure to use due care, a misdemeanor. He was ordered to pay a $500 fine and to perform 50 hours of community service.

Courtesy LVJR

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