Local news briefs for September 1, 2000

Friday, Sept. 1, 2000 | 10:51 a.m.

Henderson Police arrest suspect

A 23-year-old Las Vegas man was in the Henderson jail this morning accused of last week's slaying of two men in an apartment. Another suspect is being sought.

Ralph Eugene Goodman was jailed Thursday on two counts of murder and one count of dissuading a witness, Henderson Police said.

An arrest warrant was issued for 31-year-old Stephen Ciolino of Las Vegas, charging him with two counts of murder. He has not been apprehended.

The pair are accused of the Aug. 22 killings of David A. Bender, 21, and Steve M. Szany, 22, in the Sunset Winds Apartments on the corner of Sunset Road and Eiger Way.

Police, called by neighbors, found the two men dead and described the apartment as the scene "of a very violent struggle with blood and broken furniture everywhere."

Las Vegas man gets 5 to 15 years

A Las Vegas man charged in connection with a rash of coin truck heists has been sentenced after pleading guilty in District Court to kidnapping and robbery.

Stephen Blaylock, 19, was sentenced to five to 15 years on the kidnapping charge and one to 10 years on the robbery charge. The sentences will run consecutively.

Blaylock was charged in connection with two coin truck robberies in March and April. The crimes were similar to a string of robberies of trucks on slot machine routes between November and January, but no charges were filed in those cases.

Blaylock was one of three defendants in the case. Michael Glen was sentenced to 16 to 48 months on charges of evading and battery. Tony Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced next week.

Officer in good condition at UMC

A North Las Vegas Police officer was in good condition this morning in University Medical Center after he was wounded in a shootout that killed a suspect during a drug raid Wednesday night.

Two narcotics officers serving a search warrant were confronted by 54-year-old Johnnie Lee Weatherspoon, police said. Weatherspoom was armed with a handgun in a bedroom at the Saratoga Palms apartments, 2175 Las Vegas Blvd. North, police said. Weatherspoon, police said, fired four shots, with one bullet hitting an officer in the hand and another bullet stopped by the officer's protective vest, said Lt. Art Redcay, a department spokesman.

The two officers, each armed with assault rifles, fired multiple shots. Weatherspoon was struck several times and died at 10:07 p.m. Wednesday in University Medical Center.

The 28-year-old wounded officer underwent surgery Thursday.

The names of the officers will not be released by police until 48 hours after the incident. The officers will be on administrative leave with pay pending an investigation.

Motorist identified as Utah man

A motorist who shot at another car before killing himself on Las Vegas Boulevard Wednesday night was identified as 26-year-old Michael Ryan Davis of Utah.

Police said Davis apparently became angered when he was unable to change lanes and fired a handgun at another car, hitting the front fender. The other driver went the other direction on Las Vegas Boulevard, pulled into a convenience store and called police.

Davis sped off as police tried to get him to pull over. Davis became stuck in traffic at the Flamingo Road traffic light and then shot himself in the head before officers could approach his car, police said.

House committee offers $3.5 million

The House Transportation Committee has earmarked $3.5 million for a Las Vegas monorail system that is expected to someday run from McCarran International Airport to Cashman Center.

The funding will be put toward a stretch between the Sahara hotel-casino, through downtown Las Vegas to Cashman Center, according to Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev.

Berkley said she secured the money as part of her transportation funding request to congressional appropriators.

The Las Vegas Monorail Co., started by the MGM Grand and Bally's, received approval Tuesday for a $650 million tax-free state bond to extend its system from Bally's to the Sahara.

Driver attacked at convenience store

Two robbers pistol whipped a United Coin truck driver early this morning and stole his van in the 9300 block of West Sahara Avenue.

The driver was delivering nickels to slot machines at a convenience store about 2:45 a.m. when he was confronted by a masked man with a gun. When the driver turned to go back into the store, another masked robber blocked his way, Metro Police said.

The driver was tackled and hit on the head with a gun. The two robbers took the driver's keys and fled in the coin truck, which had not been located as of this morning.

The driver was treated at University Medical Center for minor injuries and released, police said.

The van was described as light blue with Nevada license plate 083 EUU.

Local agencies receive $500,000

Housing agencies in Clark County have received more than $500,000 in federal grants for senior and welfare-to-work programs.

The Las Vegas Housing Authority received separate grants of $232,941 and $250,000, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced Wednesday.

The first of the two grants will fund several service coordinators to promote independent living among seniors. The second will be used for the Resident Opportunity and Self Sufficiency Program -- a welfare-to-work initiative.

The Clark County Housing Authority received $30,600 to hire a senior services coordinator.

The Boulder City Municipal Airport

has been awarded $1.1 million in Federal Aviation Administration grant money for taxiway extensions and runway rehabilitation. The funds will also be used to install signs and improve the airport's drainage.