Youth trash pickup program likely to end

Adrienne Packer

Friday, April 7, 2000 | 10:28 a.m.

Clark County will likely do away with a youth highway pickup program after six teenagers were killed while plucking trash from the median of Interstate 15 on March 19, county administrators said.

Staff members with the county's Youth Services Department, Assistant City Manager Michael Alastuey and spokesman Doug Bradford have spent the two weeks since the accident studying youth programs in Los Angeles and Washington.

"We have stopped the program indefinitely and most likely we'll abolish it," Bradford said Thursday. "We are also taking a look at other areas of safety in the remaining part of youth programs."

The six teenagers were members of a crew with the juvenile community work program, which allows young offenders alternatives to paying restitution fees and court fines.

Escorted by a county vehicle with its hazard lights flashing, the teenagers were working their way along the highway median when they were killed. Jessica Williams, 21, has been charged as the driver of the van responsible for the deaths.

Five teenagers, ranging in age from 14 to 17 years old, died at the scene. A 16-year-old girl later died at University Medical Center.

Youths charged with minor offenses have been taking part in the highway trash pickup program for 11 years, according to the Clark County. The accident in March was the first tragedy related to the program.

Bradford said the county is looking at how to make other chores within the program safer. For example, he said, teenagers also paint over graffiti, which many times appears on walls near busy thoroughfares. The youth offenders also pick up trash in parks.

"Other jurisdictions have more specific written instructions on safety measures like where the cones and barriers are placed," Bradford said.

Bradford said there were no cones or barriers along the median because the youth crews normally work at a quick pace. The county van that accompanies the crews drives along the shoulder of the freeway to ensure the young workers stay at least 10 to 15 feet away from the road.

"The van follows with flashing lights to warn of the potential hazard; to get drivers to slow down," Bradford said. "(Williams') van just missed clipping the front of the safety van and may have swerved to avoid it and went down into the berm of the road."

Williams is in the Clark County Detention Center in lieu of $5 million bail. Her case is scheduled to be presented to a grand jury Tuesday.

Bradford said that shortly after the grand jury hearing, county staff members intend to present Clark County Manager Dale Askew with information they collected from other jurisdictions and recommend changes to the program.

Adrienne Packer covers county government for the Sun. She can be reached at (702) 259-2310 or by e-mail at adrienne@lasvegassun.com