Local news briefs for November 15, 2000

Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2000 | 11:17 a.m.

Police search for elderly man

Metro Police are asking for the public's assistance in locating a missing 75-year-old man.

Charles Ritter Miller was last seen at 1 p.m. Saturday when his wife left him inside a car when she went into Deseret Industries, 1300 Las Vegas Blvd. North.

Miller, who suffers from Alzheimer's, is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, 135 pounds with gray hair, brown eyes and glasses. Miller's car, a 2001 white Toyota Corolla with California license plates 4MGBO52, is also missing.

Anyone who has seen Miller or his car is asked to call Detective Gary Sayre at 229-2908 or at 597-6502.

Authorities eye helicopter crash

Federal authorities continued to investigate the cause of Monday night's Flight for Life helicopter crash in Pahrump today as Nye County sheriff's deputies searched for the driver of a car they believe caused the accident.

A car went through an area cordoned off for the helicopter to land, causing the pilot to veer off and eventually crash, officials said.

The flight crew -- a pilot, nurse and paramedic -- suffered only minor injuries. The patient they were sent to transport was picked up by another helicopter.

Flight for Life officials said a replacement helicopter will be in operation by the end of this week.

A National Transportation Safety Board investigator is looking into the crash.

NAACP president target of lawsuit

The head of the Las Vegas chapter of the NAACP is named as a defendant in a suit alleging libel and slander over statements made about expenses for the annual Freedom Fund Banquet.

The suit, brought by Willia Chaney, alleges that local NAACP President Gene Collins made defamatory statements about her business reputation and missing funds from the banquet that she chaired.

The suit comes on the heels of former Assemblyman Lonie Chaney sending a letter through his attorney to the national chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People asking that a national representative be sent to Las Vegas to oversee Saturday's NAACP election.

Chaney, who has alleged voter irregularities, including the trading of memberships for votes by Collins, is running against Collins for president.

Both Willia and Lonie Chaney are represented by attorney Chris T. Rasmussen.