Local briefs for September 7, 1999

Tuesday, Sept. 7, 1999 | 11:11 a.m.

Man killed while riding in car

No arrests have been made in the weekend shooting death of a man killed as he and a group of associates drove through a neighborhood near Swenson Street and Twain Avenue.

The coroner's office identified the victim this morning as Antonio Panchi.

Metro Police Sgt. Rocky Alby said the man was shot shortly before 2 a.m.

He said others who had been in the car said they were driving in the 3600 block of Swenson when a group of men started yelling and one member of the group fired into the car.

Roommate sought in death of man

Metro Police are searching for a man they believe shot and killed his roommate at their apartment in northeast Las Vegas Sunday afternoon.

Police arrived at the 4700 block of Thunderbolt Avenue, near Craig Road and Nellis Boulevard, about 2 p.m. Sunday to find a man with multiple gunshot wounds in the upper body.

The man was taken to University Medical Center where he was rushed into surgery. He died about 4:30 p.m. His name was not available for release today, the coroner's office said.

Witnesses at the scene told police that the victim was arguing with his roommate, Alphonso Garcia, 24. Police said Garcia pulled out a handgun during the argument and fired several shots at his roommate.

Garcia is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 150 pounds, has black hair and tattoos of a peacock and a woman on his upper right arm.

Police are asking anyone with information to call Secret Witness at 385-5555 or homicide detectives at 229-3521.

Three arrested in holdups of taxis

Metro Police have arrested three men in connection with a series of taxicab robberies.

The three men were taken into custody on Friday when a patrol officer noticed them sitting in a parked pickup with a gun in the bed.

Shawn Rivera, 18, Clinton Sakurai, 21, and Ronald Mulitauaopele, 18, have been charged with robbery with a deadly weapon, kidnap with a deadly weapon and burglary, police said.

All three confessed to robbing cab drivers, police said.

Man accused of videotaping minors

Henderson Police have arrested a man they believe made pornographic videotapes of minors.

On Friday police booked Jeffery W. Burger, 28, of Henderson on two counts of using a minor in the production of pornography. He remains in custody today.

Police say Burger taped a 13-year-old boy who lived with him and a 10-year-old neighbor.

Police are asking anyone with further information to call Secret Witness at 385-5555 or police at 565-2009.

Minivan sought in death of woman

Metro Police are looking for a vehicle involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident on Aug. 31.

The vehicle is described as a 1987 to 1990 Dodge or Plymouth minivan, police said. The van should have damage to the right front, and may include damage to the head lamp, antenna, right side mirror and the windshield.

The van is believed to have struck Joyce Ann Kidder, 31, about 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 31 on the shoulder of Las Vegas Boulevard North south of Lamont Street, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 229-3535 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Suspect surrenders to Metro Police

A 42-year-old Las Vegas man who had been the object of a police hunt in connection with a rape surrendered to Metro Police over the Labor Day weekend.

Brian Michael Jones turned himself in sometime Saturday, Lt. Tom Monahan said.

Jones is charged with seven counts of kidnapping, sexual assault and battery with intent to commit sexual assault stemming from an Aug. 29 attack on a woman at her home near Flamingo Road and Durango Drive.

Monahan said the woman was held for a period of 15 to 18 hours.

A Las Vegas man

who died in police custody last week has been identified as Lasalle Smith, 33. The cause of death is still unknown, the coroner's office said this morning. Smith ran from police after being stopped for a traffic violation Sept. 1 near Lake Mead and Nellis boulevards, police said.

The September meeting of the City Centre Development Corp.,

scheduled for Wednesday, has been canceled due to an anticipated lack of quorum by board members. CCDC will next meet Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. in the fourth floor conference room at the Sawyer State Office Building.