News briefs for July 2, 2001

Monday, July 2, 2001 | 10:03 a.m.

Fireworks ignite in three-vehicle crash

A car, a church van and an ambulance were destroyed Saturday night in a collision in the Spaghetti Bowl that ignited a trailer full of fireworks.

The accident occurred about 11 p.m. when the three vehicles collided on U.S. 95 southbound at the Interstate 15 exit ramp, Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

The ambulance was responding to an emergency call with lights and sirens when it collided with the car.

The van was pulling a trailer of "Safe and Sane" fireworks when it was caught up in the crash. A fire started and spread to the trailer, setting off the fireworks and causing an explosion, Szymanski said.

The explosion and the fire destroyed the the van, car and ambulance, and the resulting mess closed U.S. 95 southbound from the Spaghetti Bowl to the Casino Center exit for nearly three hours.

Two of the people in the van were taken to University Medical Center to be treated for minor injuries. No one else was injured in the accident, and the Nevada Highway Patrol is investigating who was a fault in the wreck.

Girl, 16, will serve one year

A 16-year-old Henderson girl will serve one year in a juvenile correctional center in connection with the drowning death of her infant son.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Herndon said the girl was sentenced Friday to one year in custody and four years' probation by District Judge Donald Mosley.

Herndon said authorities believe she gave birth in her toilet and allowed the baby to drown in April 2000. She has since given birth to another child, who is about a month old, Herndon said.

The teen admitted that prosecutors had enough to convict her on the charge of neglect and abuse of a child, causing substantial bodily harm.

Instead of serving time at the Clark County Detention Center or prison, Herndon said the decision was made that she would be allowed to serve her time at the Caliente youth facility.

Medical, wildlife members named

Gov. Kenny Guinn has announced appointments to two key state boards.

He reappointed Dr. Joel Lubritz and appointed Marlene Kirch and Drs. Sohail Anjum and Stephen K. Montoya to the state Board of Medical Examiners. All four are from Southern Nevada.

He also reappointed Reno lawyer Bill Bradley and appointed Carson City lawyer Chris MacKenzie and Elko County rancher Mike Riordan to the state Wildlife Commission.

Kirch, a Wells Fargo Bank executive, replaces Arne Rosencrantz; Anjum, a cardiologist at the Heart Center of Nevada, replaces Dr. Dipak Desai; and Montoya, OB-GYN chief at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, replaces Dr. Susan Buchwald.

Lubritz, who has a private practice devoted to diseases of the ear, nose, throat and sinuses, has been on the board since 1997.

On the wildlife commission, Bradley has served since 1995 as the sportsmen's representative from Washoe County.

MacKenzie, a member of Ducks Unlimited, Nevada Bighorns Unlimited and the Nevada Chukar Foundation, replaces Donald Cavin. Riordan, a Nevada Cattlemen's Association board member, replaces Dr. Boyd Spratling.

Both boards have nine members.

Five people hurt in Lake Mead blast

A 27-year-old man was in critical condition this morning and four others were injured during an explosion on a boat on Lake Mead Sunday.

The boat was at the Las Vegas Bay Marina near the fuel pier when it exploded about noon, a National Park Service spokesman said.

Concession workers at the marina towed the boat away from the pier and to shore where Lake Mead National Recreation Area firefighters put the blaze out, and paramedics treated the injured.

The 27-year-old man was in critical condition in University Medical Center this morning. An 18-year-old woman was treated and released. A 20-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man were in fair condition in University Medical Center.

The fifth patient, a man, was taken to St. Rose Dominican Hospital with first-degree burns, officials said.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation.

Driver charged with DUI in crash

A 22-year-old man was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after the pickup he was driving crashed into a boat Friday night, killing his passenger.

The accident happened about 9 p.m. at the intersection of Grapevine Avenue and Arrowhead trail, near Horizon and College drive in Henderson.

Henderson Police say Casey Centeno lost control of the extended cab pickup and struck a large boat parked on Arrowhead. The collision caused the pickup to spin into the intersection before stopping. The passenger in the truck died at the scene, police said.

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call police at 565-8933 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

SUV hits light pole

Metro Police say that alcohol appears to have been a factor in a one-car accident that killed one person and sent another to the hospital in critical condition.

The accident happened about 4:30 a.m. at the intersection of Rainbow Boulevard and Eldora Street, police said.

Henry Davila, 27, was driving a Suzuki Sidekick south on Rainbow when he apparently drove up the west curb and sideswiped a light pole. The passenger, Dennis Davila, 28, head and arm were hanging out the window of the Sidekick when it hit the pole, police said.

Davila was taken to University Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition. The passenger died at the scene.

Anyone with information about this accident is asked to call detective Oscar Chavez at 229-3786 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.