News briefs

Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000 | 11:05 a.m.

Teen dies in crash on I-15

A 17-year-old boy died this morning in a three-vehicle crash on southbound Interstate 15 near the Charleston Boulevard and U.S. 95 interchange.

The teen, driving a Hyundai, apparently tried to change lanes and clipped a pickup driven by a 47-year-old man about 6:50 a.m. The teen's car skidded across three lanes of traffic, struck the retaining wall and bounced back onto the roadway, Nevada Highway Patrol officials said.

The teen's car went into the path of a two-axle tanker truck driven by a 39-year-old man. The two other drivers were not injured, police said.

The cause of the accident is under investigation. Traffic was slowed for a short time because of the accident.

IRS extends walk-in hours

The Internal Revenue Service will kick off an extended tax season this weekend with longer hours at its Las Vegas office.

Ordinarily, the IRS is closed Saturdays and Sundays and open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Starting this Saturday, the IRS will be open 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. every Saturday through April 15, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

Because the traditional tax day of April 15 falls on a Saturday, the deadline for returns has been extended through April 17 to midnight. As a result, the IRS will be open Sunday April 16 from 12:30-5:30 p.m. and Monday April 17 from 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Taxpayers also can get information on the IRS website at www.irs.gov or by calling toll free at 800-TAX FORM for tax forms or 800-829-1040 for answers to tax questions.

Women killed in accident identified

The two women who died in a head-on collision Monday on Las Vegas Boulevard South near Lake Mead Drive were identified this morning as Michelle S. Montalbano and Margaret L. Vineyard.

A car driven by Montalbano, 23, of North Las Vegas apparently veered into the northbound lane and struck a pickup driven by an 80-year-old man. Vineyard, 59, of Las Vegas, was a passenger in the pickup, Nevada Highway Patrol.

The pickup's driver, Loren Vineyard, was listed in fair condition in University Medical Center this morning.

A truck driver told troopers he was driving behind the car when the driver veered into the other lane, said highway patrol spokesman Trooper Richard James. The investigation into the accident is continuing.

Attempt to recall Nye sheriff fails

The Nye County court clerk's office says a district judge's decision to disallow 1,100 "John Doe" signatures on petitions to recall Sheriff Wade Lieseke apparently will kill that initiative.

Court Clerk Sam Merlino, who attended Tuesday's hearing in Pahrump before Nye County District Court Judge John Davis, said she is awaiting word from the Secretary of State's office, which she believes will order another raw count after receiving a written order from Davis.

That new raw count, she said, would total about 1,600 signatures -- far short of the 2,391 that were needed to force a recall election. With the John Does included in the original raw count, the petitioners submitted 2,764 signatures before the Jan. 4 deadline.