Video footage captured by an east Las Vegas business shows the Thursday morning hit-and-run crash that left Sam Morris, the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s director of photography, in critical condition.
The footage, recorded by a security camera at Cars Plus on East St. Louis Avenue near East Fremont Street and viewed by the Review-Journal, shows a red sedan appearing to slow down. Morris, who is riding his bike, appears to collide with the vehicle and falls to the pavement.
The video shows the red sedan driving away as Morris is lying in the road. It does not show the moments leading up to the crash.
Manny Monreal, the manager of Cars Plus, said the video was given to the Metropolitan Police Department.
“The cops came in and said, ‘We need footage.’ So I said, ‘OK, I will take a look at my cameras.’ … I got that clip and gave it to them,” Monreal said.
No arrests had been made, but the investigation was ongoing, a Metro spokesperson said Friday.
Morris remained in critical condition at University Medical Center on Friday afternoon, said Emily Antuna, UMC spokeswoman.
Metro Capt. Jarvis Dudley told the Review-Journal on Thursday that Morris was riding his bicycle at 7:30 a.m. in the 3200 block of East St. Louis when the crash occurred. The driver, who was in a red sedan, fled the scene, he said.
According to Dudley, witnesses reported that the crash stemmed from a road-rage incident. Dudley said Morris and the driver “exchanged words” before the driver cut Morris off and slammed on the brakes, causing Morris to hit the back of the vehicle.
Morris, an award-winning photojournalist with more than 25 years of experience in the Las Vegas Valley, was named the Review-Journal’s director of photography in December 2023.
Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com.
