A man accused of seriously injuring the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s director of photography in a hit-and-run crash is now facing a single felony charge of leaving the scene, according to court records.
Las Vegas Justice Court records show a criminal complaint was filed Sunday against Eric McDaniels, 37, of Las Vegas.
He was originally arrested on suspicion of felony duty to stop at the scene of an accident involving death or injury and misdemeanor counts of driving an unregistered vehicle and not having proof of insurance. Court records show the latter two counts have been dropped for unknown reasons, but McDaniels has been formally charged with the felony.
McDaniels was scheduled to make an initial appearance on the charge in Justice Court on Tuesday.
McDaniels, police said, was arrested after a crash involving longtime photojournalist Sam Morris, who was riding his bicycle in the 3200 block of East St. Louis Avenue near Fremont Street when the crash occurred the morning of April 23.
Morris was treated at University Medical Center and has since been released from the hospital.
A Metropolitan Police Department arrest report for McDaniels sheds more light on the details of the investigation into the crash.
Police said Morris was riding his bike east on St. Louis Avenue, east of Fremont Street, when his bike collided with a car driven by McDaniels.
Morris was taken to the hospital with what police described as significant head trauma.
Police interviewed a witness who described the crash as possibly stemming from road rage.
“The witness stated the incident began at the intersection of Fremont Street and St. Louis Avenue,” police said.
The witness told police that Morris and the driver exchanged words near the intersection, while Morris was on the right side of the car.
“When the light turned green, the cyclist entered the intersection in the number two lane, traveling in the center of the lane,” police said. The driver followed Morris, before passing him on the right in the same lane. As the car passed, “the cyclist made a hand gesture toward the driver.”
The witness said that the car cut in front of Morris and “abruptly braked, causing the cyclist to collide with the rear of the vehicle,” police said, adding the driver of the car then drove off without stopping.
On April 24, police obtained video surveillance from an Auto Max at 3141 E. Fremont St., and from Cars Plus, 3255 E. St. Louis.
“Surveillance footage showed the cyclist throwing a plastic water bottle at the vehicle, striking it,” police said. “The cyclist then caught up to the vehicle as it slowed, struck the rear left area, and fell.”
Police obtained additional surveillance video from a private residence in the area. This footage identified the vehicle of the driver who fled as a red, older-model Hyundai with a CarMax advertisement.
Detectives then conducted surveillance in the area of the collision. On Wednesday, they spotted the car in question and pulled it over, police said.
“Upon approach, I observed the left brake lamp was broken, consistent with the reported collision,” police said.
McDaniels, police said, was driving the car and identified himself as the owner of the vehicle. He confirmed he was previously involved in a collision with the bicyclist.
“In an excited utterance, McDaniels stated he was en route to drop off his child at school when he drove around a bicyclist, which caused the bicyclist to become upset and display his middle finger,” police said.
McDaniels at this moment was taken into custody. A search warrant was obtained for the vehicle.
After being read his Miranda rights, McDaniels told police that on the morning of the crash he was driving his usual route to take his child to school and was stopped behind a bicyclist at St. Louis and Fremont.
“When the light turned green, he drove around the bicyclist on the right, which caused the bicyclist to become upset, yell, and display his middle finger,” police said.
“McDaniels stated the bicyclist caught up and threw a water bottle, striking his vehicle,” police said. “He then looked in his rearview mirror and observed the bicyclist fall.”
McDaniels said he believed the bicyclist lost control and crashed after throwing the bottle.
“He stated he thought the bicyclist ‘got his karma’ and left the scene,” police said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@reviewjournal.com.
