News briefs

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 1999 | 10:55 a.m.

Pay phone patron shot in back

A man using a pay phone outside a convenience store in eastern Las Vegas was shot in the back Tuesday night, police say.

The victim, whose identity has not been released, was in serious condition this morning at University Medical Center, officials said.

Metro Police spokesman Steve Meriwether said two men fled on foot from the convenience store at 930 S. Pecos Road after the 10 p.m. shooting.

He said the suspects have similar descriptions, both Hispanic or white men, 19 to 20 years old, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 150 to 160 pounds with short dark hair.

Meriwether said the motive for the shooting is not known.

Harrah's coin boxes taken by robbers

Harrah's hotel-casino was robbed about 4 a.m. Tuesday by three men wearing ski masks, police said.

The men entered the casino and stole cash boxes used to hold money inside slot machines, police said. The number of cash boxes and how much money, if any, was in them is unknown.

Metro Police have not released a description of the suspects.

Two hit by cars, including boy, 11, die

The two victims from unrelated car accidents on Sunday died from their injuries at University Medical Center on Monday.

Leonard Williams, 11, was frightened into Lamb Boulevard near Faberge Avenue by a dog and hit by an oncoming Ford van at about 9:15 a.m., police said.

The dog was walking alone and unleashed toward Williams when the boy saw him and was frightened, according to another boy who was with Williams at the time of the accident, police say. The accident happened near Williams' home.

The driver of the van, which was headed northbound on Lamb, tried to avoid the boy but couldn't, Metro Police said.

Manual Sandoval, 51, was crossing Eastern Avenue near Armory Lane outside a crosswalk about 7:15 p.m., police said.

A Hyundai traveling northbound on Eastern struck Sandoval. Police believe jaywalking was to blame for the accident.

The two deaths bring the number of car accident fatalities in Metro's jurisdiction this year to 88.

Record fine hits local business

A Las Vegas company has been fined $279,500, the largest local air pollution fine on record, for failing to manage harmful asbestos waste removed in 1998 from a former federal housing complex.

The fine against Desert Environmental Inc. and company representative Mike Carbaugh resulted from asbestos removal at the Sierra Nevada Arms Apartments near Vegas Drive and Martin Luther King Boulevard beginning in June 1998. The fine is larger than the $80,000 fine imposed from asbestos removal before the demolition of the Landmark hotel-casino in 1995.

The company and Carbaugh have until Friday to appeal the health district's decision. A second company, CT&E Environmental Inc., was fined $80,000 in June for issuing permits and certificates to Desert Environmental for the work at the apartments.

Man wanted in 1989 killing arrested

A man wanted in connection with a 10-year-old shotgun slaying in California was arrested Sunday in Las Vegas.

Ricardo Robles, 26, was arrested at about 6:30 p.m. in the 4200 block of Channel 10 Drive by the Las Vegas Criminal Apprehension Team or CAT.

Robles is wanted in Alhambra, Calif., for a 1989 homicide warrant and a federal unlawful flight to avoid prosecution warrant, CAT officials said.

Robles had been living in Las Vegas since July of this year under an assumed name.

Robles has been booked into the Clark County Detention Center and is awaiting extradition proceedings.