Local news briefs for August 24, 2000

Thursday, Aug. 24, 2000 | 11:43 a.m.

Construction crew cuts phone lines

A construction crew cut underground phone cables affecting about 21,000 Sprint customers late Tuesday. Service to businesses and homes in Las Vegas' southeast area was lost.

Sprint officials estimated the repair work would take several days for all lines to be restored. The damage was caused by Acme Directional Boring, which was working on Flamingo Road and Swenson Street. Seven underground cables were cut, officials said.

The area with disrupted phone service is south of the Flamingo Wash off Swenson Street, north of Harmon Avenue and west of Pecos Road.

Sprint officials said repair crews will work around the clock until the lines are repaired.

Henderson victims identified

Clark County Coroner's office Wednesday released the names of the two men found slain in a Henderson apartment. They were 21-year-old David A. Bender and 22-year-old Steve M. Szany.

Henderson Police continue to follow leads, but no arrests have been made and no suspects' identities have been released.

Police believe drugs may have been involved in the slayings.

Bender and Szany were found slain near Sunset Road and Eiger Way about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday after neighbors called 911 reporting a violent fight, police said.

Firefighter hospitalized

A Clark County firefighter was hospitalized briefly for smoke inhalation after being trapped in an attic while attempting to put out an electrical fire Wednesday.

Ten-year veteran Richard Prisbrey was responding to a single-alarm fire at a Blockbuster Video on 4065 S. Maryland Parkway about 8:30 a.m.

Prisbey traced electrical lines from the initial fire in a back closet to the attic and became trapped when a panel box blew. Firefighters feared his aluminum ladder may have been electrified by the explosion, Clark County Fire spokesman Steve La-Sky said.

Firefighters were forced to cut another hole in the ceiling to Prisbey to safety.

Firefighters estimated damage to the building at about $15,000.

Trial date set for employee

A Las Vegas woman accused of stealing from an investigator who played a key part in the Binion murder case will be going to trial in December.

District Judge John McGroarty on Wednesday set Nataysha Lynn Doyel's trial date for Dec. 18 after she pleaded not guilty to five counts of theft and one count each of filing a false document and forgery.

Doyel was once the office manager for Tom Dillard, the former Metro Police detective who was hired by Ted Binion's family to look into his September 1998 death after authorities ruled his death a drug overdose.

Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish were convicted of first-degree murder in May in the gambling figures's death and were sentenced to life in prison with parole possible after 20 years.

Doyel's indictment alleges she used checks from Dillard's company to buy personal items and signed Dillard's name on documents.

Las Vegas mayor cancels meeting

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has canceled this month's open door meeting with constituents.

The meeting was scheduled for Friday. Next month's meeting will be at 10 a.m. Sept. 29 in the City Hall Council Chambers.