Local news briefs for December 20, 1999

Monday, Dec. 20, 1999 | 12:03 p.m.

Pedestrian killed on Las Vegas Boulevard

A pedestrian was killed Saturday morning along a portion of Las Vegas Boulevard South where there are no street lights and no sidewalks.

The man was reportedly walking south in the right travel lane of Las Vegas Boulevard, about 900 feet north of Warm Springs Road, when he was struck by a 1991 Ford Escort also traveling southbound, Metro Police said.

Las Vegan Tina Gettleman, 30, was driving the Escort in the left southbound lane, but the car's right front fender hit the pedestrian, police said.

The man died at the scene and Gettleman told police she didn't see him walking in the road.

It was third fatal pedestrian accident this year along Las Vegas Boulevard South between Interstate 215 and Wigwam Parkway.

Four nabbed in credit card scheme

Four people have been arrested in a counterfeit credit card scheme designed to take advantage of casino shopping outlets.

Sam Chau, 34, and Tuan Tran, 31, both of Las Vegas, and Ling Kwong Ng, 35, and Mike Fan, 45, both of California, have been charged with trafficking in counterfeit devices.

FBI officials say the four had obtained about 40 counterfeit credit cards in Los Angeles and then traveled to Las Vegas planning on using the cards at jewelry and retail stores in casinos.

The group planned to then sell what they had purchased with the cards, FBI officials said.

Woman dies after beating; husband held

A 32-year-old Las Vegas woman died Saturday after suffering a beating that led to a severe brain injury.

At about 1:15 a.m. Saturday Metro Police and paramedics responded to a call of a woman having difficulty breathing at 1913 Rose Coral Ave., near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Vegas Drive.

Venus Santarin was taken to University Medical Center where she was listed in critical condition until she died around 6 p.m. Saturday, a UMC nursing supervisor said.

Police determined that the woman was the victim of a battery, and her 34-year-old husband, Ponciano Santarin, was arrested and charged with murder, Metro homicide Lt. Wayne Petersen said.