Local briefs for April 17, 2001

Tuesday, April 17, 2001 | 10:46 a.m.

Name of cop in shooting is released

Henderson Police this morning identified the officer who exchanged gunshots with a suspect inside a home over the weekend as Officer Thomas Spath.

Spath, an officer for three years, is on administrative leave with pay pending a review of his actions by a board of officers, a civilian employee and a local resident, police said.

Police were dispatched to a home in the 200 block of Pontiac Street, off Lake Mead Drive east of Warm Springs Road, about 10:30 p.m. Saturday night on a call regarding a family fight.

Officers found three people in the living room, and one of the officers went down a hall to check whether anyone else was in the home. As Spath opened a bedroom door, he saw Joseph King behind the door with a rifle, and as the officer started to back away King is accused of opening fire, and the officer returned fire, police said.

No one was injured in the exchange of gunfire, but King remained in the bedroom, and Henderson's special response team was called to the scene. Neighbors were evacuated, but King walked outside and gave himself up about an hour later, police said.

King, a 56-year-old Henderson resident, was charged with attempted murder of a police officer.

Man sentenced for shooting death

A Las Vegas man who pleaded no contest last month in the death of a 57-year-old local resident was sentenced to life in prison Monday.

David Paul Lewis, 57, will have to serve at least 12 years in prison for the shooting death of William S. Roseland, 57, and the attempted murder of another man.

District Judge Sally Loehrer also ordered Lewis to pay more than $265,000 in restitution.

According to authorities, Lewis shot William S. Roseland, 57, on Sept. 23, and Roseland died about two weeks later.

Lewis, the manager of a mobile home park on East Lake Mead Boulevard, got into an argument with Roseland and another man, police said. Lewis then got out a shotgun and fired toward both of them at the mobile home park.

Lewis was on probation at the time and District Judge Jeffrey Sobel ordered him last month to serve at least three years for violating his probation.

The murder sentence will start after he serves the probation violation sentence.

Slaying victim's body found

The body of a man who was shot to death was found near a North Las Vegas golf course Monday morning.

North Las Vegas Police were dispatched to a desert area near Losee and Ann roads at about 10 a.m. after getting reports of an injured man near a fence.

Police found a body with multiple gunshot wounds in the upper torso just north of the Shadow Creek Golf Course, police spokesman Lt. Art Redcay said.

Investigators say that it is likely that the victim was shot near where his body was found, and that the homicide occurred in the last 24 hours, Redcay said. The man's name was not released this morning pending positive identification and notifying his family.

Police are asking that anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the area where the body was found to call 633-1390.

Man captured after fleeing police

Henderson Police had a hard time arresting a transient, who broke away from officers attempting to handcuff him Monday and attempted to carjack five vehicles before being taken into custody.

About 8:30 a.m. police pulled over a Ford pickup that was being driven erratically on U.S. 95 near Water Street. The driver of the truck, 44-year-old Barry Miller, was arrested and charged with multiple traffic violations, while one of the passengers in the truck, Gary Abscher, 41, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

The second passenger, Charles Wanamaker, 33, was being handcuffed by officers when he broke free, and with one wrist cuffed ran into oncoming traffic and attempted to escape by carjacking a vehicle, police said.

Reid visits UMC with funds in tow

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., on Monday visited the neonatal intensive care unit at University Medical Center, where he presented $500,000 in congressional funding to expand services.

The federal funds will allow the medical center to expand its intensive care nursery from 28 to 35 beds, with additional facilities for emergencies. UMC delivered 5,346 babies last year; about 14 percent of the newborns needed some neonatal intensive care.

Reid made the announcement during a news conference with Clark County Commissioners Erin Kenny and Dario Herrera. UMC Chief Operating Officer William Hale also attended, as did Dr. Sean Ahn of the NICU and Carol Martin, the nursery's manager.

State budget chief hospitalized

CARSON CITY -- State Budget Director Perry Comeaux was admitted to Carson Tahoe Hospital Monday after suffering chest pains, the governor's office said.

He is reported to be resting comfortably. Tests are scheduled over the next few days to determine the cause of the pains, the governor's office said.

Comeaux, 56, has been in state government for more than 20 years. He worked in finance at the state prison and became director of the state Department of Taxation before taking his current job. He has served under four governors.