News briefs

Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1999 | 11:05 a.m.

Man robs Henderson bank

A man robbed Henderson Bank of America without using a weapon Tuesday afternoon.

A man in his early 30s walked into the Vons grocery store at 625 Stephanie St. about 2 p.m. and passed a note to a teller demanding money, Henderson Police said.

A weapon was never seen during the robbery, police said.

The suspect is described as white, 5-feet-2-inches tall, with short blond hair. He was last seen heading south through the store's parking lot. The suspect was wearing a blue shirt, jacket and pants and sunglasses, police said.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call Henderson Police at 565-2009, or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Woman suffers minor burns

A 60-year-old woman suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation from a fire that sparked in her condominium's garage.

Las Vegas firefighters arrived at the Pacific Legends West Condominiums, 1830 N. Buffalo Drive, about 12:45 p.m. and found heavy smoke coming from a garage.

A car parked in the garage was damaged by the fire, but firefighters were able to keep the blaze from spreading, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

The woman was treated for first- and second-degree burns on her hands and face at University Medical Center.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Szymanski said.

Suspect sought in attempted robbery

Las Vegas Metro Police searched this morning for a man who attempted an armed robbery at the New York-New York hotel-casino.

An Asian man in his early 20s entered the New York-New York at 2:15 a.m. today with a gun and attempted to rob a casino change area, police said.

The man fled by cab to the Gold Coast hotel-casino. Gold Coast security cameras show the man running through casino and across the parking lot of the Rio hotel-casino and crossing Flamingo Road, police say.

California fugitive captured

The Las Vegas Criminal Apprehension Team has arrested a California prison escapee living in Las Vegas under an alias.

Metro, Henderson and North Las Vegas police along with FBI agents and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Enedino Rodriguez, 31, at NOS Communications, 4440 E. Tropicana Ave.

Rodriguez was working at NOS Communications under the name Dino Raines, Metro Police Sgt. Al Cervantes said.

In March Rodriguez was sentenced to six years in California prison for a third drunken driving conviction.

On Sept. 20 Rodriguez reportedly escaped from Mendicino Prison Camp, and a warrant was issued on Oct. 2.

Rodriguez has been booked into the Clark County Detention Center and is awaiting extradition back to California, Cervantes said.

Sound wall to be built

An $8.4 million sound wall project along U.S. 95 is scheduled to break ground today.

The walls are expected to cut down on freeway noise for residential areas between Boulder Highway and the Lake Mead Drive interchange, and homes south and north of Horizon Drive.

The project is expected to be completed by late fall.

Family left without home

A Tuesday fire left a family of four needing help from the American Red Cross to find temporary shelter.

The fire at 3412 Drover Ave., near Pecos Road and Owens Avenue, appears to have started in the home's living room shortly after 10 p.m., Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

The fire was brought under control in under five minutes, but caused about $50,000 in damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Nevada gets down payment

CARSON CITY -- Nevada has received a $15 million down payment on nearly $1.2 billion due over 25 years as a result of a national settlement with tobacco companies.

The $15 million was delivered on schedule Tuesday. It's unclear whether future payments, including $39.1 million next year, will come as they had been expected. Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa says payments in 2000 could shrink as much as 14 percent.

The amount the tobacco companies will pay is based on sales. There have been national reports that cigarette sales have dropped, meaning a decrease in allocations to the states.

Gov. Kenny Guinn says any reductions shouldn't harm his Millennium Scholarships program or health initiatives.

Fifth person indicted in scheme

A fifth person has been indicted in connection with the laundering of fraudulent slot machine winnings from Nevada casinos.

A federal superseding indictment released Tuesday names Zu Qiang Lin as a defendant along with Las Vegas residents Bao Ming Lin, Feng Ying Liu, He Biao Liu and Jin Xie Qiong.

The indictment said the defendants conspired to launder slot winnings in 1998 from February to November. The indictment alleges that the defendants used "shaved" dollar tokens which had been reduced "in diameter by grinding ... down the edges approximately 1/32 of an inch, producing a cheating device."

Crash leaves one dead

A collision on State Route 160 between Pahrump and Las Vegas left one man dead Tuesday and two injured.

Lee A. McDonald, 29, of Las Vegas was driving a 1988 Oldsmobile Delta 88 in a allegedly reckless manner at 4 p.m. Tuesday and caused the accident that killed him, according to Scott Flabi, spokesman for Nevada Highway Patrol.

McDonald was driving eastbound when he attempted to pass a car by entering the westbound lane and entered the path of an oncoming 1991 Toyota pick-up truck driven by Jessie Mathiss, 68, of Jean.

The car and the truck struck head on and McDonald was killed, Flabi said. A third vehicle, a 1998 Dodge pick-up truck driven by Steve Tripp, 48, of Sandy Valley was following the Toyota pick-up and attempted to drive past the accident while it was still happening. His truck was hit by the Oldsmobile.

Flabi said both Tripp and Mathiss were taken to University Medical Center.