Employees at Cactus Jack's Casino will hold a memorial for Mike Shields this Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. inside the Poker Room at Cactus Jack's at 420 North Carson St., Carson City.
Shields died Nov. 11 after being struck in a crosswalk by a motorcycle as he was returning from Cactus Jack's, where he was an employee. The accident remains under investigation. The Nevada Highway Patrol has had difficulty in locating the family of Mr. Shields. Friends say Shields would have celebrated a birthday Tuesday.
The story below is from Bob Wilkie, a friend of Shields:
"A 1999 blue Harley Davidson motorcycle, ridden by Michael Trute, 61, of Minden, Nevada was traveling southbound on Stewart Street ..."
That sentence sounds almost dry as you read it on a NHP press release.
Going due south on Stewart, Mr. Trute's motorcycle then struck and killed a Cactus Jack's employee, a pedestrian, a man also named Michael. The accident was just after sunset on November 11th. Mike was walking in a lit crosswalk and he was killed after he was struck. He died a short crosswalk from his home.
Mr. Trute was badly injured when he was thrown from his motorcycle after striking Mike. NHP reports alcohol was possibly involved — but does not say if the rider or the pedestrian or both had possibly a drink. Or two. Or three.
It is about a quarter mile walk from Cactus Jack's to the motel on Stewart Street where Mike lived. Mike was a long time employee at Cactus Jack's and he made the walk to and from each work day. Though he needed a cane to help him walk, Mike always showed up for his job, a casino gig, at Cactus Jack's on time.
Mike's walk to and from Cactus Jack's seemed terribly safe, too — he had made it for more than 6 years, and his trek involved crossing only two streets — Carson Street and Stewart Street. Both had crosswalks and lighting, too.
What Cactus Jack's employees and Mike's friends are upset about now, besides grieving about Mike, is the NHP cannot locate any of Mike's living relatives.
Therefore, Mike's body is still waiting with the Carson Coroner, awaiting notice to his next of kin. It's been almost two weeks since Mike was killed.
Cactus Jack's employees are disturbed about the long delay, but try to understand. The NHP simply cannot locate Mike's ex. Or his daughter. Or his grandchildren.
Employees at Cactus Jack's Casino will be holding a memorial for Mike this Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. inside the Poker Room at Cactus Jack's at 420 North Carson St, Carson City.
Of course, they all want Mike's family and friends to know about the memorial, and how much they miss Mike, and how much they liked him.
Vanessa at Cactus Jacks said employees finally decided to help try and locate any of Mike's relatives. They found an address online for a woman who might be Mike's ex wife.
They went in person to contact the woman to see if she was Mike's ex, and tell her about the memorial, but the neighbors said the woman had moved to Oregon a year ago.
They are not even sure if the woman was Mike's ex, but they wanted to try. Cactus Jack's employees are sort of baffled why the next of kin notification has taken authorities this long.
"We want to do something to help, but we feel almost powerless" said Lee. Another added, "Is it right for us to hold the memorial, and his family still doesn't know Mike has died?"
If you have any information on Mike's next of kin please call Cactus Jack's at (775) 882-8770.