Local news briefs for April 28, 2000

Friday, April 28, 2000 | 12:19 p.m.

Officer who killed dog identified

A Metro Police officer who shot two dogs, one fatally, has been identified as 11-year officer Andrew Neal.

Neal, 33, shot the dogs Tuesday afternoon when they attacked him as he chased after a Las Vegas man who tried to flee from authorities by running into his house, Metro spokesman Tirso Dominguez said.

Neal, who works out of the southwest area substation, arrived in the 4300 block of Bramblewood Street, near Spring Valley Parkway and Rainbow Boulevard, at about 3:45 p.m. after getting a call that two neighbors were having an argument.

Neal saw 34-year-old Fred Allen and a teenager in front of Allen's garage. Allen had drug paraphernalia with him and the officer believed some sort of drug activity was taking place, Dominguez said.

Neal followed Allen into the house, where he was attacked by one dog, and then a few seconds later another dog, Dominguez said.

Neal fired twice, killing one of the pit bull and German shepherd mixed breeds. The other dog is recovering.

Woman gets another chance

A Las Vegas woman serving five-years probation in the 1992 stabbing death of her boyfriend was given a second chance to stay out of prison Thursday morning.

Chief District Judge Lee Gates placed Deborah Ann Earl back on probation after the Department of Parole and Probation recommended it be revoked Thursday.

Gates ordered Earl to attend intensive drug counseling sessions three times a week until a July 27 status hearing. If she complies with his orders, Earl will be released from probation.

Earl was originally convicted of second-degree murder in the Nov. 8, 1992, death of Bruce Lawson, but the Nevada Supreme Court overruled the conviction in November 1995.

Earl pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in July 1996 and was placed on five years probation.

Man pulls out of plea agreement

A Las Vegas man accused of killing a woman in an accident in which he was allegedly going twice the legal speed limit backed out of a plea agreement Thursday.

Bruce Alan Adams, 43, agreed to plead guilty to reckless driving in connection with the accident in exchange for an involuntary manslaughter charge being dismissed and a chance at probation.

When Adams learned Thursday, however, that Judge Donald Mosley wanted to give him four years in prison for Diane Rodgers' death, he reneged on the deal.

Mosley expressed reservations about giving Adams probation after reading a report prepared by the Department of Parole and Probation and hearing from two of Rodgers' family members.

The report indicated that Adams has twice been convicted of reckless driving in the past and has attended driving school twice, presumably for moving traffic violations, Mosley said.