County hit with citations in deaths of 6 teenagers

Thursday, June 15, 2000 | 11 a.m.

Clark County has been issued five safety violation citations and fined $3,150 in connection with the deaths of six teenagers working on a highway cleanup crew, Nevada's Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement Section said today.

The findings, following a probe into the March 19 accident on Interstate 15, included two serious violations of state safety laws, OSHES said.

In a report signed by OSHES Safety Manager Jimmie Garrett, the Clark County Risk Management and Safety office allegedly failed to provide safety devices, protective equipment and training to those working near the Speedway exit.

One of the serious violation citations reads: "The employer failed to ensure that effective temporary traffic control protective measures were taken to protect employees and other personnel performing litter pickup duties alongside a interstate highway with high-speed, high-volume traffic...

"Clark County Department of Family and Youth Services employees ... supervising the litter pickup detail used only the flashing emergency lights of a passenger van to warn approaching traffic ... Additional precautions, such as signs, arrow displays and portable, changeable message signs were not used to warn approaching drivers that a work crew was ahead."

The other serious violation citation alleges: "The employer failed to ensure that Department of Family and Youth Service employees ... wore bright, highly visible clothing while working and assisting in cleanup activities. The employees were within a few feet of the interstate ... and were exposed to high-volume, high-speed vehicle traffic."

For each of those alleged violations, the county was assessed $1,500 fines that the state wants paid by July 17.

A third citation was issued for an alleged regulatory offense. It reads: "The employer did not provide training regarding setting up effective temporary traffic control protective measures for employees engaged in supervising litter pickup crews working along Interstate 15."

A $150 fine was assessed for that alleged offense, which also has a July 17 due date for payment.

Two other alleged violations, which carried no fines, were that the employer:

County officials referred inquiries to the District Attorney's office. Attempts to reach Mike Davidson, an assistant district attorney who represents the county, were not successful.

Clark County is facing potential lawsuits from the parents of the children who were killed in the accident.

This week, Clark County officials said crews of teens would no longer clean up highways or freeways as part of their community service for offenses they were found guilty of committing. However, officials said the program will continue, but now will focus on cleaning area parks, the desert and vacant lots.

Jessica Williams, 21, has been charged in the deaths of the teenagers and is in custody. She is accused of being under the influence of marijuana and the hallucinogenic drug ecstasy when she fell asleep at the wheel of a minivan.

The van went into the I-15 median, traveled more than 200 feet and struck the teenagers who were picking up trash. Scott Garner Jr., Alberto Puig, Anthony Smith, Rebeccah Glicken and Malina Stoltzfus died at the scene. Jennifer Booth died the next day.