MEADVIEW – Rangers at Lake Mead National Recreation Area responded to a report of a stolen vehicle Thursday.
At 9:47 a.m., a park employee notified dispatch that a male individual entered a government vehicle near Meadview, and drove off with it. Rangers and Arizona Department of Public Safety responded and attempted to stop the vehicle.
The suspect continued down Pierce Ferry Road, onto U.S. Highway 93 and turned onto Temple Bar Access Road. When the suspect turned around and headed back toward U.S. Highway 93, law enforcement successfully deployed spike strips to puncture the tires.
The vehicle continued north on U.S. Highway 93, traveling against traffic in the southbound lane. The road was closed temporarily during the pursuit.
Around 11:40 a.m., the vehicle ran off the road around mile marker 12. The suspect fled by foot. Employees and visitors at Willow Beach were advised to shelter in place. The suspect, a 32-year-old-male from Ohio, was apprehended and taken into custody around 1:30 p.m. The incident is under investigation by the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch and Arizona Department of Public Services.
