News briefs for July 24, 2001

Tuesday, July 24, 2001 | 10:04 a.m.

Board approves suit settlement

Metro Police's fiscal oversight board Monday approved a $112,500 payout to four people who filed suit after officers searched their home.

The money settles a federal lawsuit brought by Eddie Ortiz, Josiane Ortiz, Roger Valdez and Amanda Valdez.

SWAT officers served a search warrant on a home looking for drugs. The suit alleged excessive force and damage to the home by the officers, police said.

Metro's fiscal affairs board approved the settlement without comment. The board is made up of two Las Vegas City Council members, two Clark County Commission members and a citizen.

Police said drugs were found during the search of the home. Other details of the suit or the outcome of the search of the home were not available.

Name of victim is released

A Las Vegas woman killed earlier this month has been identified as Diane Dunlap Fields.

The 49-year-old woman was found stabbed to death in a motel on North Sixth Street on July 1 about 4:45 a.m., police said. Metro Police had been called to the area on the report of some kind of disturbance.

A man was seen running from the area at the time of the slaying, but no suspect has been arrested.

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

Park Service will let wildfire burn

A lightening-sparked fire on the north rim of Grand Canyon National Park will be allowed to burn out on its own to reduce the hazardous buildup of brush, the National Park Service said.

The fire was discovered July 15 and is burning three to five miles northeast of a developed area across the Bright Angel Canyon on the Wahalla Plateau. It has consumed about 100 acres, the Park Service said.

The decision to allow the fire to burn instead of using manpower and resources to douse it was made as part of an effort to meet resource objectives that include reducing the amount of brushy fuel in the area that would spark future fires.

The fire is expected to come close at times to the city of Page, Ariz., officials said, noting that the blaze is not threatening any structures.

Man pleads guilty in stabbing

A 39-year-old homeless man who told police he stabbed a man who robbed him, only to find out the victim had nothing to do with the attack, has taken a deal.

Deputy District Attorney Linda Lewis said Timothy Fay pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with use of a deadly weapon Monday.

District Judge Kathy Hardcastle must decide Sept. 10 if Fay should serve two, one- to 10-year sentences back-to-back or at the same time, Lewis said.

Fay told a Metro Police officer at a convenience store May 31 that he was robbed by two homeless men while he was sleeping. He told the officer he stabbed a third homeless man he thought was involved in the robbery, but police determined the slain man had nothing to do with the crime and had not threatened Fay, said Lt. Wayne Petersen of Metro's homicide unit.

Police found the slain man, John Korreckt, 43, in his camp in southwest of Stewart Avenue and Spectrum Boulevard.

The Clark County Department of Comprehensive Planning

promoted Chuck Pulsipher to assistant planning manager, zoning administrator. Pulsipher, a Nevada native who has been with the division since 1982, has held several positions but was most recently a senior management analyst.