Bail set at $250K for man accused of firing at Las Vegas police after chase

A judge set bail at $250,000 Thursday for a convicted robber accused of opening fire on Las Vegas police at the end of a two-city chase who now faces charges in both Las Vegas and North Las Vegas courts.

Jarvis Williams, 30, faces attempted murder, assault on a protected person, evading police and owning a firearm by a prohibited person in North Las Vegas. In a separate Las Vegas case, he faces robbery with the use of a deadly weapon and robbery of an older person.

Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Suzan Baucum said she had concerns about Williams’ danger to the community and the likelihood he would reappear in court.

Allegations that he yanked a purse away from an older woman, who was knocked to the ground, and approached someone in a parking lot, ordered them to get on the ground, placed a gun against them and demanded money were also “very concerning,” the judge said.

The Metropolitan Police Department said it received a report of an armed robbery in the parking lot of a business in the 2500 block of South Fort Apache Road in the west Las Vegas Valley around 11:10 a.m. Wednesday. About 20 minutes later, police received a second report of a robbery at a business in the 2100 block of North Rainbow Boulevard, police said, east of the first report.

Police spotted Williams’ vehicle near Rancho Drive and West Lake Mead Boulevard and attempted to stop him. Williams refused, striking a Metro patrol car and fleeing, according to police.

The pursuit ended in the 1900 block of McDonald Avenue in North Las Vegas when Williams exited his vehicle and fired shots toward police officers who returned fire. Williams then barricaded himself in a nearby residence and was taken into custody a short time later, police said.

Court records indicate that Williams was arrested in 2015 on suspicion of murder, robbery, and firearm offenses. The charges were later reduced to conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery with the use of a deadly weapon, resulting in a prison sentence of four to 12 years.

“This defendant does have extremely violent tendencies,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Jessica Walsh.

Public defender Fargol Ghadiri said Williams lives with his mother and has 9-year-old and 3-year-old children.

She said Williams could not afford monetary bail because he does not have a job and encouraged the judge to place him on house arrest.