News briefs

Wednesday, March 1, 2000 | 10:29 a.m.

No charges filed in school bus crash

North Las Vegas Police, who are still investigating a Friday accident involving a Clark County school bus, have issued no citations and have brought no charges yet.

Two people were critically injured in the crash.

The bus, driven by 59-year-old Lewis Wade of Las Vegas, was southbound on Allen Lane at Red Coach Avenue about 8:45 a.m. Friday when it hit the rear of a 1994 GMC pickup driven by LaKisha Harrison, 26. There were three children in Harrison's truck but no passengers in the bus.

Harrison and a 4-year-old girl remained in critical condition this morning in University Medical Center. An 8-year-old girl and 2-year-old boy were treated after the accident and released.

Wade is suspected of failing to stop at a stop sign, police said.

Clark County school officials said no action will be taken against Wade until the police investigation into the accident is completed.

Man says patrol car ran into him

A Las Vegas man filed a lawsuit Tuesday against a Metro Police officer he claims ran into him with his police car almost two years ago.

Russell Jay Richardson claims in his lawsuit that Officer Michael Loving, who was involved in a "noncontact traffic incident" on March 1, 1998, on Karen Avenue, lost control of his car and struck Richardson as he sat off the roadway beyond the sidewalk.

His medical bills so far exceed $200,000, Richardson said. He is seeking unspecified damages.

Metro does not comment on pending litigation.

Thirteen officers file labor lawsuit

Thirteen Clark County Park Police officers have filed a lawsuit against the county claiming it has violated the Fair Labor Standards Act.

According to the lawsuit filed Tuesday by Las Vegas attorney John Harper, the officers were required to stop at two locations to pick up their official vehicles and to be briefed before they began their shifts. They were not paid for the time, the lawsuit states.

Between September 1991 and December 1997, the officers spent an extra 15 to 20 minutes preparing for their shifts without being paid, the lawsuit states.

The officers suing are George Barker, Thomas Barrett, Enrique Binyons, Richard Bishop, Steven Degering, John Fino, William Foy Jr., Stephen Holly, Roy Michael, John Mikulich II, Daniel Santone Sr., Michael Simler and Joseph Thompson.

The officers are also members of the Clark County Park Police Association.

Man pleads guilty to reckless driving

A Las Vegas man indicted one year ago in connection with a fatal accident pleaded guilty Tuesday to reckless driving.

In exchange for his guilty plea, the Clark County district attorney's office agreed to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge filed against Bruce Alan Adams.

According to police, Adams was driving faster than 80 miles per hour on Rampart Boulevard north of Lake Mead Boulevard when his Toyota pickup hit a Plymouth sedan driven by Diane Rogers.

Rogers had stopped at a stop sign but pulled into traffic ahead of the truck and was struck broadside.

The speed limit there is 45 miles per hour.

Adams is scheduled to be sentenced April 27.

Ensign sets time for formal announcement

Former Republican Rep. John Ensign, who raised $2 million in campaign funds last year, will formally announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate Monday at news conferences in Reno and Las Vegas.

A spokesman for Ensign said he will appear first at the Echo Loder Elementary School at 1 p.m. in Reno and then at Clark High School in Las Vegas at 5:30 p.m.

Democratic challenger Ed Bernstein is expected to make his formal announcement later this month.

As of Dec. 31 Ensign had collected $2 million and had $1.7 million of it remaining in the bank. Among his contributors were the National Republican Senatorial Committee at $17,500; the National Rifle Association for $5,000; $1,000 from former GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole; and $250 from former Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, who last Saturday was elected Democratic national chairwoman.

Pickup crashes on Owens Avenue

A 52-year-old driver of a pickup was killed and a pedestrian was injured Tuesday in a one-vehicle accident on Owens Avenue near Main Street, Metro Police said.

Alfred Avery was driving a pickup east on Owens about 6 a.m. Tuesday. Avery swerved as he approached a line of vehicles turning into a construction site, police said.

The truck spun, slid backward into the curb, onto the sidewalk and struck a pedestrian, J.T. Covington, 63 of Las Vegas.

Avery, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene. Covington was listed in serious condition in University Medical Center.