News briefs for December 19, 2001

Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2001 | 10:43 a.m.

Man, 37, is identified

A man shot to death Monday night on Las Vegas Boulevard South was identified as 37-year-old Eddy R. Vigil.

Metro Police have not identified a suspect in Vigil's killing in the 1500 block of Las Vegas Boulevard South near Wyoming Avenue.

Vigil was walking with a woman about 7:30 p.m. Monday when a gunman shot him in the head, police said. The gunman then fled.

Vigil was convicted in 1996 of drug trafficking and sentenced to one to three years in prison. Detectives are trying to determine whether Vigil's killing was related to drugs.

Anyone with information in this case is asked to call Metro's homicide unit at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Four-vehicle crash kills one

A North Las Vegas man was killed in a four-vehicle accident on Interstate 15 at the D Street exit Tuesday night, Nevada Highway Patrol officials said.

The drivers of two pickups got into an accident and pulled over the side of the road. As one of the drivers stood between the trucks inspecting the damage, an 1983 Oldsmobile four-door struck the back of the trucks. A tractor-trailer then struck the rear of the Oldsmobile, officials said.

Larry Lee Daniels, 40, the driver of the Oldsmobile, was taken to University Medical Center, where he died. Jose Benitez, the driver standing between the trucks, was also taken to the hospital and was in critical condition this morning, officials said.

Mall recalls free plastic toys

A small piece of wax paper that gives the kazoo its distinctive sound was the catalyst for a recall of plastic instruments given to children at the Meadows mall this Christmas season.

The wax paper could come loose and lodge in a child's throat, mall officials said in announcing the voluntary recall of the musical toys that were distributed by the mall Santa Claus from Nov. 16 through Tuesday.

Mall officials, estimating that they gave out a few thousand of the instruments, are asking parents to either throw away the kazoos or return them to the mall in exchange for candy canes.