Wednesday, July 7, 1999 | 10:44 a.m.
Teen critical after shooting
A teen was in extremely critical condition at University Medical Center this morning, the victim of a gunshot wound in the head.
Metro Police responded to the 3700 block of Central Park Circle, near Koval Lane and Flamingo Road, just after 2:30 a.m. to find the teenage boy lying on the sidewalk. Several people in the area heard shots, but police have not found anyone who saw the shooting, nor have they established a motive for the crime.
The victim had not been identified as of this morning. Anyone with information about the shooting can call Metro's homicide division or Secret Witness at 385-5555.
Former coach pleads innocent
Former youth league baseball coach Garen Pearson is scheduled to face a District Court jury on Sept. 27 on 39 sexual misconduct charges involving seven victims.
The 40-year-old defendant pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony and gross misdemeanor counts that include sexual assault of minors. If he is convicted he could go to prison for the rest of his life.
Deputy District Attorney Tom Carroll said that six of the seven victims are ages 11 or 12 and the seventh is age 19, although it is alleged the events involving him occurred six years ago, when he was 13.
The prosecutor said when the case gets to trial, he will be asking District Judge Michael Douglas to allow evidence of similar sexual misconduct by Pearson 20 years ago with a 13-year-old boy.
Pearson has been in the Clark County Detention Center since his arrest April 29 after four boys accused him of molestation. Additional victims came forward after stories of the arrest surfaced in the media.
No requests were made at Tuesday's court session to release Pearson pending trial or to lower his bail.
Man arrested in child porn scheme
A Las Vegas man was arrested Monday for devising what Metro Police called an elaborate child pornography system to recruit and seduce boys.
Joseph Cotton was arrested and booked on charges that include possession of child pornography, burglary, forgery and unlawful possession of a credit card and an automated teller machine card. Metro Police say Cotton tried to redeem cash at a local store Monday for items bought with a stolen check.
Police say they found 13 packages inside Cotton's car that had been purchased with stolen checks at different stores around the valley. A search of Cotton's apartment in the 6100 block of West Vegas Drive near Jones Boulevard revealed a number of false identification documents and numerous pictures of nude, preteen boys, police said.
Police said Cotton would identify boys susceptible to seduction and shower them with gifts and attention. Five of Cotton's nine assumed identities had outstanding felony warrants for passing bad checks.
Man turns self in over shooting death
Metro Police have arrested a man in connection with the slaying of a Las Vegas resident Sunday.
Earnest Augusto Hines, 27, turned himself in to Metro Police Tuesday and was arrested in connection with the death of 29-year-old Scottie Lee Thomas of Las Vegas. Police say Thomas was a passenger in a car driven by Hines. The two men argued, and Hines pulled a gun and shot Thomas several times, police said.
Police seek clues in stabbing
Metro Police detectives are investigating the death of a 33-year-old man whose body was found in a northwest Las Vegas residence Tuesday morning.
The victim, who suffered multiple stab wounds, was found at about 7:45 a.m. by a friend at a home in the 1700 block of Fairgate Court, near the intersection of Charleston Boulevard and Buffalo Drive, police said.
"There were no signs of forced entry and there was nothing apparent missing from the residence," Lt. Wayne Petersen said. "We're not sure this was a homicide, and everything points to a suicide."
The victim rented a room at the home he was found in, and police plan to talk to his landlord.
for the record
Valley fire departments responded to 615 emergency calls over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, up from 541 over the same period last year. One house and two duplexes sustained a combined $115,000 in damage from fires caused by fireworks. An 8-year-old also burned his hand lighting fireworks.
Interstate 15 at the Cheyenne interchange will be closed to through traffic from 9 p.m. Thursday through 5 a.m. July 12, as workers demolish the old Cheyenne bridge. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction and detoured around the bridge back to Interstate 15. Cheyenne Avenue will be closed westbound at Civic Center and eastbound at Losee Road. Detours will be available.
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