Local news briefs for September 25, 2000

Monday, Sept. 25, 2000 | 11:38 a.m.

Driver dies, three injured

An 85-year-old Las Vegas man was killed Sunday afternoon when he failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign.

Jerome Gratton was headed east in a 1996 Nissan on McLeod Drive, failed to yield at the stop sign at Pecos Road, and was hit by a 1996 Dodge headed south, Metro Police said.

The front of the Dodge struck the left side of the Nissan, sending both cars spinning.

Gratton was taken to University Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. The driver of the Dodge, and a passenger in the Dodge and the passenger in the Nissan were all treated for minor to moderate injuries at UMC.

It was the 65th fatal accident in Metro's jurisdiction this year.

Karla Rodriguez's photo to be on hood

A picture of missing 7-year-old Karla Rodriguez will be flying around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday.

Rodriguez, whose birthday is Friday, has been missing since Oct. 20, when she was last seen in the 800 block of East St. Louis Avenue.

A color photo of Rodriguez will be placed on the hood of Darrell La Moure's Chevrolet Monte Carlo in this weekend's Star Nursery.com 250.

Deputy DA named to post

Peggy Leen, a Clark County deputy district attorney, has been selected to serve as the new U.S. magistrate judge for Nevada.

Leen, 46, replaces Roger Hunt, who has been appointed to the newly created U.S. District Court judgeship at the Las Vegas-based federal court.

Leen currently works in the district attorney's civil division, but has experience in the criminal division and worked as a Clark County public defender.

Her appointment to the eight-year U.S. magistrate position is contingent on a background investigation. Federal magistrates preside over arraignment hearings, set bail and issue search and arrest warrants for federal law enforcement agencies.

Leen is a graduate of UNLV and received her law degree in 1979 from the University of San Diego School of Law.