Local news briefs for September 8, 2000

Friday, Sept. 8, 2000 | 10:34 a.m.

Officer who fired shots is identified

North Las Vegas Police have identified the officer involved in the fatal shooting of a motorist he claimed accelerated a car at him and his partner late Tuesday night in the area of Carey Avenue and Clayton Street.

Travis Snyder, 26, a three-year veteran of the department, fired two shots at the oncoming car hitting 36-year-old Ernest Williams Jr. in the torso and a female passenger in the arm, Lt. Art Redcay said.

Snyder and his partner, James Miranda, 26, both bicycle officers, saw two people sitting in a parked car, but as they approached, Williams drove off, Redcay said.

Williams drove down a dead-end street -- Thunderstorm Way -- before making a U-turn and heading back toward the officers, police said.

LV woman in escape plot

A Las Vegas woman entered a plea agreement in Kingman, Ariz., that apparently includes testifying against others accused in an alleged plot to free a jail inmate by killing his guard.

Tawanee Rushelle Barrett, 24, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of conspiracy to commit escape. Under the agreement, she is to be sentenced to probation and no more than 10 additional months in jail, where she has been held since she and others were arrested on June 12.

Authorities say Barrett, Dennis Schilinski, 28, of Golden Shores, Ariz., and four others allegedly had intended to free David S. Goldberg, 41, by killing the guard who would be escorting Goldberg to a court change-of-plea hearing.

A tip allowed authorities to stake out the area and arrest the six people alleged to have been involved.

Chief deputy resigns post

Chief Deputy Secretary of State Don Reis, stationed in Las Vegas, is retiring effective today.

Reis has been with the office since 1993 and headed the division for securities regulation. He was named second in charge in 1997.

Reis previously served as director of licensing and registration for the Michigan Securities Division.

No replacement has been named for the $65,000-a-year job by Secretary of State Dean Heller.

Reis plans to move to Tennessee to be nearer his children and grandchildren.