Las Vegas Now3 Years Later, Still No Trial for Reckless Driving Suspect

3 Years Later, Still No Trial for Reckless Driving Suspect

LAS VEGAS -- It was nearly three years ago at the intersection of Tropicana and Lindell that 63-year-old Patty Jones was killed. Witnesses say a man was speeding down the street when he hit her truck.

While the suspect faces charges of reckless driving, he has yet to see the inside of a courtroom for trial.

“Every time I see that corner I remember that day as if it was vivid as yesterday,” said witness Don Gray.

For Gray, the accident he witnessed has been hard to forget. He's grown close to the family of the woman killed in the crash and the person he says responsible for the accident is still a free man.

“If she'd been injured, I think this whole thing would be different. But she's gone and he can't get her back and this man is still out there,” he said.

To make matters worse, a trial for the suspect in the case, Michael Armstrong, has been delayed more than five times. In fact, the suspect's latest trial date was set for this week, but once again was postponed. “Unfortunately, the judge has another trial that she is hearing next week and obviously she can't hear two cases at once so it's going to have to be delayed yet again,” said Clark County Deputy District Attorney Bruce Nelson.

Nelson says the main reason for the delays has to do with the lack of space and time to hear cases. “We have far more criminals than we have courts. So we have to do things as soon as we can. Nobody is trying to delay things or intentionally putting this over,” he said.

Gray says this has to change to help bring closure for the families involved. “He's right. It has taken to long, but it's simply taken to long because of things that are inherently built in to the justice system that delay things,” said Nelson.

According to the DA's office, there was a few times the suspect changed attorney's and at least one time there was an issue with scheduling for all parties involved.

Ultimately, Gray wants the suspect brought to justice. “He gets to live a life but he's taken a life and nothing is being done about it. And that's what hurts me,” he said. “I don't think he'll get away with it. I know justice will be served, but it's sure taken a hell of a long time and I don't think that's right.”

The next trial date is set for the beginning of March of 2010, but Gray says he wouldn't be surprised if that too was delayed.