Nevada board to pay $2 million to settle 1994 accident suit

The Board of Examiners Tuesday agreed to pay

$2 million to settle a claim resulting from the traffic death of a Las Vegas woman 14 years ago.

Michael Delew's wife Erin was killed when a car driven by the wife of a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer hit her bicycle in 1994.

The case has been in the courts since then, including before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals twice.

Delew argued in his wrongful death suit that metro investigators covered up the facts surrounding the death. He charged that the woman, Janet Wagner, was speeding and intoxicated when the accident occurred.

After the accident, it was two hours before the Nevada Highway Patrol was called and another two hours before a blood alcohol test was performed on the woman. He also charged NHP investigators failed to preserve physical evidence including skid marks and allowed Wagner to leave the scene of the accident.

Metro already has settled for $1.4 million.The board consisting of the governor, secretary of state and attorney general voted unanimously to approve the

$2 million settlement.

Stan Miller of the attorney general's office said Tuesday that brings the total amount awarded in tort claims involving the highway patrol to $5 million this year. There was a harassment claim to a female NHP captain for $492,000 and a $2.5 million settlement that resulted from an accident caused when a trooper speeding home for dinner rammed the rear of a car, killing four.