The Twilight Zone?

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

My brother was planning to go to Vegas this weekend to drop in on a friend of his who lives there. They were fellow residents at one time and had lost touch but bro' was planning on looking him up. He turned on the TV and the first words that he hears is his friend's name and that he died in an altercation with the Nevada Highway Patrol. Really sad but weird.

Man's death in Las Vegas stuns Rupert family

Ryan Rich died after Las Vegas police used Taser gun

By Cassidy Friedman

Times-News writer

Ryan Rich was the last guy anyone would expect to commit a violent crime.

Rich grew up in a Mormon family in the Mini-Cassia area and played quarterback for Minico High School before he and his brother both went to medical school in Kansas City, Mo.

But on Friday, Dr. Ryan Rich, 33, went on a rampage through downtown Las Vegas that ended with his death.

Neither his family nor those who knew him in Rupert can accept the Las Vegas Police explanation of how it happened.

According to police, Rich slammed his pickup truck into "numerous" other vehicles on Interstate 15 at about 1 p.m. Friday.

When a Nevada Highway patrolman tried to pull him over, he crashed his truck into the center median and then fought with the officer and a passerby.

When Rich tried to run away through traffic, the trooper - whose name has not yet been released - shocked him with a Taser and subdued him.

"A short time later, it appeared the suspect was in medical distress," the trooper later reported.

He was pronounced dead at 1:53 p.m. at a nearby hospital. Authorities say they don't yet know why he died.

That's just not the sort of thing Rich would do, his family says.

The young doctor, who was completing his residency in Las Vegas, had just been home for the holiday. He had spent a tearful time with his daughter, who lives in northern Utah with his former wife, and had told everyone he would be back within a year to set up practice in his hometown.

But his life took a series of unexpected turns.

"I've heard a ton of different stories," said his father, Randy Rich, of Rupert, referring both to what caused Rich's suddenly erratic behavior and also what killed him.

With an autopsy already completed but a toxicology report still pending, the Clark County coroner will not be answering those questions any time soon.

"The mortuary thinks he died of internal injuries from a hit to the stomach," said his father, adding that this explanation makes no sense to him.

Steve Barnes, who coached Rich in his sophomore football season, said he saw Rich during his recent visit and considered the incident "just so totally out of character for him that something must have happened. He didn't have a violent side. In fact I would have liked to see him get a little more fired up sometimes."

The family offers one possible interpretation for the events surrounding Rich's death.

About six weeks ago, Rich was driving his pickup when a speeding vehicle rear-ended him in a hit-and-run.

"He got out of the car," Randy Rich said. "He said he felt fine. That evening he went into the hospital and the hospital said that he had a seizure."

Rich did not recall the seizure, which would have been the first of his life, Randy Rich said. But Rich said he had experienced dizzy spells since the crash.

Is it possible that Rich was so disoriented from those injuries that he didn't know what he was doing on the day he died?

For the family, no other explanation seems to make sense.

"Something like that would cause somebody to not know where they are at," said his brother, Nathan Rich of Rexburg.

But Nevada authorities have ruled nothing out, and Rich's family acknowledges that he has had problems with an addiction to pain medicine and drinking.

Randy Rich said his son successfully kicked those habits last summer by entering treatment. He proved it by submitting to random drug tests, Randy said.

No one seems to have seen this coming, except perhaps his 9-year-old daughter.

"It was kind of a weird thing," Randy Rich said. After the holidays, when it came time for him to part with his daughter, Rylee Marie, the girl didn't want to say goodbye.

"She's a very important person to him. She cried the whole way down to the airport," said Randy Rich. "It was almost like she knew something was going to happen."

[thermophile 0]

holy ######. why the hell haven't tazers be at least temporarily banned? sorry about your brother's friend

[MandE 0]

Wow, that is very bizarre. I hope the family has some answers soon.

My condolences to your brother, IR5.

[trailmix 77]

What a tragedy. Sounds like the poor guy had a lot on his plate, his family will be devastated, I hope they get some answers.

[Krikit 1,165]

That's so sad, Mumsie. But what's even weirder is that your brother turned on the telly and heard the story.

While I was reading I was thinking drugs. But not that your brother's friend had taken them himself. About 15 years ago my uncle was murdered in Las Vegas. (He was actually a close family friend but we called him uncle.) The investigation concluded that he was at a bar having cocktails, and was being chatted up by a pretty girl. Apparently this girl worked with a male partner. A drug was slipped into my uncle's drink so they could steal his wallet. (He always carried a lot of money around with him and the police believe the team saw it, making him a target.) Anyway, they found him dead in a hotel room from a drug overdose. (My uncle never touched drugs. He was a successful businessman.) The police said it was a familiar modus operandi, but the target doesn't usually die from it. Valuable lesson.

[Aymerlu 3]

So sad

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Sh!t brother, this is not only weird, but sad and of serious concern. Is the family asking for an IAB inquiry? they should. I HATE police brutality.

[Krikit 1,165]

Lenina, Luv! You're back!!! How've you been? How's your Mom?

[SpiritAlight 1]

Oh Mumsie, such tragic news.

There must have been plenty of reason for Ryan's "rampage".

I'm sorry to read your news.

Freakin' tasers!

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Lenina, Luv! You're back!!! How've you been? How's your Mom?

I'm glad we're seeing more posts by Len, I hope that mean things are looking up. Back to the topic at hand, my brother describes him as a smart guy who couldn't control his demons. He was always nice to bro but not always reliable. Ended up getting fired and looked like he finally got things turned around. My brother was familiar with the booze problems and suspected he might have been on prescription meds. These facts in no way condone what happened to the poor guy. The taser is not carte blanche to go crazy, it is a weapon and it certainly can kill. Did Dr. Rich have a weakened heart, probably, but he was no bodybuilder or strongman and could have easily been restrained. That Vancouver incident (four grown men can't restrain one confused man?) suggests to me that police brutality is on the rise and not enough people are asking questions.

Krikit, so sorry about your uncle. I never carry much money on me and I rarely travel without at least some buddies, just in case.

Spirit, you are right, it is a tragic affair. I don't buy the rampage story, not one bit. I feel for his daughter, poor kid.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Im not going to argue about police brutality, just inst appropriate on a post like this!! very sorry to hear about ur brothers loss

[Carlawarla 1]

How very sad. A combination of drugs/alcohol, or some type of seizure sounds like the cause, however there have been so many stories of tazers and their possible connection to deaths. I don't know why they don't rethink the use of these. What a horrible thing for all those that knew and cared about him.

[Flames9_RN 358]

in some instances electricity going through the body is better than a lot of lead!! 1 of the major problems with tasers is the lack of training, and maybe the over willingness to use them!!

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

in some instances electricity going through the body is better than a lot of lead!! 1 of the major problems with tasers is the lack of training, and maybe the over willingness to use them!!

It's really strange but my other brother (he's studying for the Calbar right now) was pointing out that he doesn't see how a wrongful death suit would have any legs. Mom and Pop just keep repeating that the police murdered him. I'm not so sure if this was justified, but is it police brutality? I'm not convinced. Was this a case where the police officer was in imminent, mortal danger? Brutality is wanton violence towards a suspect and not recklessness or careless behaviour. My brother saw Dr. Rich's descent into crapulence and thought he was over it but until more facts are known I can't say what happened. Should the officer have acted differently, possibly. I have friends who are police officers and they feel that some folks just aren't cut out to be police officers and there should be more training and testing to better prepare them for these occasions. Talking and thinking are the best tools a police officer has. Whether, in this case, talking or a less violent approach might have been effective remains to be seen.