Arrest report: LVMPD officer fleeing traffic stop ran red lights, drove 80 mph in 35 mph zone

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer is accused of running red lights and driving up to 50 miles per hour above the speed limit in a residential area of the west valley.

Zachary David Louis was arrested July 16 on suspicion of reckless driving and DUI after leading a Nevada State Police - Highway Patrol trooper on a brief pursuit off the 215 beltway.

WATCH: Jhovani Carrillo reports the latest on arrest report on Metro officer

According to an arrest report obtained by Channel 13, Louis was initially spotted at about 10:08 p.m. driving erratically on the 215 beltway near Cheyenne Avenue. A state police trooper writes of seeing Louis, in a white Dodge Ram pickup truck, "failing to drive within the marked travel lanes...both to the left and to the right multiple times before correcting back into the lane."

A check of the truck's registration revealed it had expired on Jan. 8, 2023, and there was no insurance listed on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles, the trooper noted.

The trooper writes that they activated their lights and siren to pull the truck over, and Louis exited the freeway but then "turned right to go northbound on Cliff Shadows Pkwy and began to accelerate away at a high rate of speed, leaving dust in the roadway and still not driving within the marked travel lanes."

Following at about a quarter-mile behind Louis's truck, the trooper writes of observing multiple traffic violations, alleging Louis drove 80 mph and, at one point, up to 85 mph in two areas with a posted speed limit of 35 mph.

The trooper also writes that Louis came to at least two red traffic lights while being pursued, and did not stop for either.

"Vehicle traffic and foot traffic was light in both directions; however, the vehicle presented a clear and immediate safety threat to the rest of the motoring and pedestrian public by the reckless manner in which it was driving," the trooper stated.

Louis is said to have driven back through the intersection at 215 and Cheyenne Avenue, through a red traffic light, and turned onto Shadow Peak Street, driving "at a high rate of speed" before turning onto Buckskin Avenue. At the intersection with Shady Timber Street, the trooper writes, Louis's truck "stopped abruptly" and he "proceeded to throw the keys out of the truck and put his hands out of the window."

"As soon as I removed Louis from the truck, I noticed a strong odor of unknown intoxicating beverage coming from his person," the report states. "I also noticed Louis had bloodshot watery eyes and was speaking with slurred speech. Louis had trouble standing up on his own and could not maintain his balance without leaning up against the truck."

Asked why he ran from the trooper, Louis allegedly responded that "he was just nervous because he was a police officer." Asked how much he had to drink, Louis is said to have told the trooper he had "a few beers earlier."

The trooper noted that, because of the "reckless nature of the pursuit" and because Louis appeared so intoxicated he couldn't stand, no field sobriety test was done. Louis's blood was drawn during his intake at the Clark County Detention Center.

"The entire way to jail, my patrol car was almost completely consumed by the odor of unknown intoxicating beverage coming from Louis' person and I had to turn the air conditioning all the way up," the trooper added.

According to a statement from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Louis has been employed with LVMPD since 2020 and was assigned to the Northwest Area Command's Community Safety Division.

"Louis will be placed on suspension of police powers with pay pending further investigation," LVMPD officials stated.

A criminal complaint, filed Friday, charges Louis with driving under the influence, failing to stop for a police officer's signal, speeding, failing to maintain a travel lane, driving an unregistered vehicle, and operating a motor vehicle without insurance.