Donald Weese

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

October 24, 1992

‘STAR’ OFFICER DIES IN CRASH

Young Donald Weese ends a promising police career while responding to a report of gunshots

A 25-year-old officer who was described as a “shining star” in the Metropolitan Police Department died Friday when his patrol car crashed into a traffic light pole.

“He was one of the guys we depend on,” said Lt. Carl Fruge, department spokesman. “In other words, he was always there for us. He was going to be a star for us, because he was just very conscientious, he was a good employee.”

…Weese was training another officer early Friday, when he decided to back up a third officer responding to a report of “shots fired.” Weese had only a half hour to go on his shift, Fruge said.

He said Weese may have been thinking about a drive-by shooting that occurred just hours before, in which the suspects were still at large. Weese heard radio traffic indicating a graveyard office thought shots were fired from a car full of juveniles with all its lights out and an obscured license plate in the 1500 block of South Casino Center Boulevard.

“It had all the markings of a dangerous stop for the officer involved.” Fruge said.

A preliminary investigation by Las Vegas traffic officers and Nevada Highway Patrol troopers indicated Weese was not using emergency lights and sirens when he entered the intersection at Charleston Boulevard and Eastern Avenue on a red light around 1.25 a.m.

As the westbound patrol car entered the intersection, it collided with a northbound car driven by Abul Hossain, 27, of Las Vegas.

Fruge said Hossain’s car struck the rear, right side of the patrol car, causing it to spin out of control. It came to rest after the driver’s side slammed into a traffic light pole, he said.

He said Weese was pronounced dead at the scene, but it took hours to get his body out of the mangled car. His passenger, officer Eric C. Kerns, 33, suffered moderate injuries and was taken to University Medical Center. He was in good condition Friday night.

Hossain was treated at the medical center and released.

Fruge said the car was equipped with an air bag, but he is not sure if it inflated. He would not say whether the officers were wearing seat belts, although he said they are required to wear them under “normal driving conditions.”

Clark County Coroner Ron Flud said an autopsy performed Friday indicated Weese died of a fractured skull, although he also had multiple traumatic injuries.

…Fruge said Weese “come from a family of service.” His father works for the Colorado State Patrol, his mother is a registered nurse, and his brother works for the California Highway Patrol. He had no family in Las Vegas.

…Before becoming a police officer, Weese earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Metropolitan State College of Denver. Fruge said his hometown is Longmont, Colo.

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