Video shows driver accused of killing 2 Nevada troopers at Las Vegas casino drinking before crash, prosecutor says
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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A judge set bail at $500,000 for Jemarcus Williams, 46, the driver accused of killing two Nevada State Police Highway Patrol troopers in a hit-and-run crash early Thursday morning.
Williams, who works as a bell captain and valet, made his first appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court on Friday morning. He is accused of killing Sgt. Michael Abbate and Trooper Alberto Felix early on Interstate 15 just north of downtown Las Vegas.
Clark County prosecutor Shanon Clowers asked the judge to set $1 million bail, citing video evidence that shows Williams drinking at the Palms Casino Resort hours before the crash
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Around 1 a.m. Thursday, Willams and another man were recorded on surveillance video entering the Palms, police said in documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained. The men then ordered a bottle of Hennessy and three vodka drinks at the property’s Ghost Bar, police said.
At 1:46 a.m., Williams ordered another drink, police said.
“Jemarcus walks around the bar, interacting with several people,” police wrote in the report. “Jemarcus appears he is intoxicated due to spilling his drink and using furniture for balance. Jemarcus is seen dropping his phone on several occasions.”
At 3:01 a.m., Williams returned to the casino floor but then took the elevator to the Ghost Bar again, police said. There, hotel security officers approached him. Two minutes later, “security [generated] a report that they are escorting an intoxicated man out,” documents said.
At 3:15 a.m., Williams left the casino with the security officers, police said.
“Jermarcus passed his vehicle and walked toward Flamingo Road, hiding in the landscape area,” police said. Six minutes later, Williams returned to the car and drove off.
Abbate and Felix responded to a car for a possibly sleeping driver on the D Street exit at 3:23 a.m. The crash happened a minute later as the two men were outside of their cruisers to the left side of the parked vehicle, Metro police said in the documents the 8 News Now Investigators received.
After the crash, police searched the surrounding neighborhood for a suspect vehicle, finding it at an apartment complex on Monroe Avenue near MLK Boulevard and Owens Avenue, they said.
The car is registered in Williams’ wife’s name, police said.
“I didn’t kill them; you should be figuring out who did,” Clowers said Williams told police when he was arrested. She said he claimed a friend was driving before confessing.
“He then made statements during his interview, ‘I’m [expletive], I’m going to jail for life,’ and ‘It’s me, I [expletive] up I was driving, I wrecked him, I wrecked him,” according to documents.
Willams’ defense attorney asked for his client to be released with no bail but have high-electronic monitoring, which the judge denied.
Williams also had a prior DUI from 2007.
Williams was facing two felony counts each of DUI resulting in death, reckless driving resulting in death, and failing to stop at the scene of a crash.
Sources told 8 News Now Investigators he smelled of alcohol when officers took him into custody. The crash and ensuing investigation resulted in the northbound lanes of I-15 through the Spaghetti Bowl being closed for around 12 hours.
Judge Daniel Westmeyer scheduled Williams’ next court date for Dec. 5. Should Williams post bail, he would have to wear an ankle monitor with GPS and alcohol monitoring.
Members of Williams’ family declined to comment after the court appearance.
