News briefs for August 8, 2001

Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2001 | 10:35 a.m.

Officer's name made public

The name of the North Las Vegas Police officer who wounded a man accused of pointing a shotgun at him was identified this morning as Officer Michael S. Allen.

Allen, 36, an officer with North Las Vegas for five years, is on paid administrative leave pending the completion of an investigation into the shooting, police said.

Allen fired two shots at Jose Gonzales, 30, and wounded him in the leg on Monday about 12:10 a.m. Police said Gonzales was one of three men who got out of a van after residents reported shots being fired and a passenger in the van waving a gun out of the window.

Police said the three men ran, but they were apprehended a short time later. The female driver of the van, Aracei Saldano, 29, first told police she was carjacked by the three men, but later admitted it was a lie when officers showed her recently taken photographs of the men. The photographs were found in the van.

Driver killed after hitting burro

A 44-year-old Las Vegas man died Monday after his sport utility vehicle hit a burro in Red Rock Canyon.

The burro was in the northbound travel lane of State Route 159 after being struck minutes earlier by another car. The driver who struck the burro had driven to a convenience store and was trying to call authorities, said Trooper Alan Davidson, a Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman.

But an SUV driven by Stewart William Brown struck the burro's body about 9:35 p.m. Brown swerved to the right and crossed into the shoulder area. The vehicle started to spin and roll, ejecting Brown. The vehicle then struck Brown in the head, Davidson said.