LAS VEGAS – Two Nevada teens were taken into custody and face murder charges after they intentionally mowed over a bicyclist in Las Vegas as he was riding in a residential area last month, according to authorities. The cyclist turned out to be Andreas “Andy” Probst, 64, a retired chief of police for the City of Bell, which is in Los Angeles County.
Investigators with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) are calling the Aug. 14 encounter near Tenaya Way and Centennial Parkway an intentional criminal act, not a traffic collision. The homicide occurred in a neighborhood community about 16 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, reported KTLA.
Responding officers arrived on scene just after 6 a.m. and found Probst suffering from critical injuries. The retired police chief was rushed to UMC Trauma where he was later pronounced dead.
Probst worked in law enforcement for more than three decades before retiring in 2009 and moving into global security, KTLA’s Chris Wolfe reported.
Just over two weeks after the incident, LVMPD detectives discovered a video circulating on social media showing the fatal hit-and-run. It was filmed by the teen passenger in the striking vehicle, which was previously stolen, according to the news outlet.
“The video showed how the driver intentionally sideswiped a sedan as they traveled northbound on Tenaya. A few seconds later, the suspects observed Probst riding his bicycle. The individuals pulled directly behind Probst and ran him over, as they fled the scene and laughed,” LVMPD said in a press release.
“Due to the hit-and-run being an intentional act, LVMPD Homicide detectives took over the investigation and the charges against the driver will be amended to include open murder,” the release stated, adding that the passenger faces the same charges.
During the horrifying video, which cannot be shown due to its graphic nature, one of the teens is heard saying, “Are you ready?” as they drove up behind Probst, who was riding in a designated bike lane.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” the other teen can be heard saying. Once they mowed over the bicyclist, one of the teens is heard saying he was “knocked out” with the other responding, “We need to get out of here.”
Detectives located the vehicle involved on August 31 and identified the 17-year-old male teenage driver, who was subsequently arrested and booked into Clark County Juvenile Hall.
On Sept. 19, the teenage male passenger was taken into custody and also booked at the Clark County Juvenile Hall.
During a Tuesday press conference to announce the arrest of the second teen suspect, LVMPD Deputy Chief Nick Farese expressed outrage regarding the heinous crime.
“A cowardly act that in my 22 years of law enforcement left me personally appalled, two juveniles joyriding in a car intentionally hitting and killing an innocent man who was riding a bicycle and leaving him for dead along the side of a road,” he said.
The victim’s daughter, Taylor Probst, joined officials at the press conference, expressing the family’s devastation.
“We are devastated by the senseless murder of Andy,” she said. “Andy’s life was robbed by two individuals who did not believe that lives of others matter.”
During the course of the investigation, detectives determined the duo also struck another cyclist prior to killing Probst, according to the news release.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said during the press conference that the defendants will quickly be transferred to the adult system since murder charges were filed, KTLA reported.
“In the criminal justice system, if you are a minor and you are eligible to be charged for the crime of murder, you are automatically sent to the adult system,” he said. “I am confident that that is what’s going to happen in this case.”
