LAS VEGAS -- Stressing that Las Vegans “deserve to know what happened,” Metro police Sheriff Doug Gillespie revealed Tuesday that an officer killed in a fiery rollover crash was speeding wasn’t wearing his seat belt.

“Sadly I have two examples of that particular issue on my watch as your Sheriff,” he said, referencing the death of Officer Milburn Beitel and the May 7 accident that killed Officer James Manor.

Both deaths involved similar circumstances, excessive speed, no lights or sirens and no seat belt.

Gillespie said Beitel’s police cruiser was driving 71 mph in a 45 mph zone when a car made a left turn in front of him near the intersection of Nellis Boulevard and Washington Avenue.

The cruiser struck a tree and a pole, then flipped over before catching fire. Beitel was thrown from the car, Gillespie said. His partner in the cruiser, David Nesheiwat, was also unbuckled but was out of his seat when the vehicle came to rest.

Nesheiwat is recovering at an immediate care facility after spending more than a week at University Medical Center.

“Under the circumstances I would say he’s doing well,” Gillespie said.

After interviewing Nesheiwat, Gillespie said the 25-year-old confirmed Beitel was driving at the time of the crash.

The driver who turned in front of the police cruiser hasn’t been found. Gillespie said police would like to talk to that person, but criminal charges are unlikely.

The fault, for now, lies squarely with the officers.

“These recent tragedies have brought to light a nationwide problem of police officers not wearing seat belts,” Gillespie said. “Officer Manor and Officer Beitel were good men. Their deaths are made even more tragic by the fact the accidents that took their lives were preventable.”

Metro police officers receive 44 hours of driving and classroom training, with seatbelt use a priority, Gillespie said.

After Manor’s death, Metro promised to examine and enforce its safety policy, something Gillespie doesn’t expect to happen overnight.

“Changing policy as well as culture is a process and it takes time to do it right,” he said.

The sheriff is planning to meet with Metro higher-ups to discuss enforcement of its seatbelt policy. Gillespie said officers who do not follow suit will be disciplined, adding he would rather “issue citations than plan another funeral.”

When asked if the public should feel obligated to report an officer driving too fast or not wearing a seat belt, Gillespie responded, “That’s why we have numbers on our cars.”