News briefs for June 26, 2001

Tuesday, June 26, 2001 | 10:29 a.m.

Woman slain in Las Vegas home

A man who escaped a Henderson Police pursuit last week is being sought in the killing of an 84-year-old woman in her eastern Las Vegas home.

The victim was found dead Monday night by her son, who had stopped by the home near Owens Avenue and Linn Lane to check on her, police said.

The victim had been dead for a few days, but the cause of her death has not been determined, Metro homicide Lt. Wayne Petersen said.

The house had been ransacked and the victim's car was missing, Petersen said.

The car was recovered by Henderson Police early Friday morning after a chase. During the pursuit the unidentified driver abandoned the car and escaped on foot, police said.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call police at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

No word in a month from Las Vegas

Metro Police are searching for a 30-year-old Las Vegas man missing for more than a month.

Kevin Robie was last seen on May 13 about 2 p.m. when he was going to a bank to deposit a large amount of money and open a new account, police said.

Robie never returned from the bank and has not contacted any of his friends or family since, police said.

Robie was last seen driving a white Toyota Paseo with Louisiana license plate JFC 476.

Robie is described as white, 6 foot 2, weighing about 185 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes, police said.

Anyone with information in this case is asked to call Metro's missing person's unit at 229-LOST or Detective Mark Reddon at 229-4172.

Bechtel names Nevada president

Frederick Tarantino on Monday was named president and general manager of Bechtel Nevada, the management contractor of the Energy Department's National Nuclear Security Administration/Nevada Operations Office.

Tarantino, 45, is expected to assume his new duties overseeing the Nevada Test Site, its related facilities and laboratories on Aug. 6.

In 2001 Tarantino was named a principal vice president in Bechtel and was responsible for environmental management in addition to space and defense projects at its San Francisco headquarters.

He joined Bechtel in 1996 as a project manager to store excess weapons grade plutonium in Russia. and held other positions before becoming a vice president.

14-year-old in serious condition

Metro Police homicide and gang detectives are investigating the Monday afternoon stabbing of a 14-year-old boy.

The boy was listed this morning in serious condition at University Medical Center after being stabbed in the chest, side and lower back about 3:30 p.m. on Sands Avenue just west of Howard Hughes Parkway.

Police are investigating a story that the victim had had an altercation with someone the night before, and whether that may be connected, Lt. Wayne Petersen said.

Two men were seen running from the area by witnesses around the time of the stabbing, police said.

Both suspects are described as being Hispanic, in their 20s, with the taller of the two wearing his black hair slicked back, and the shorter having a shaved head.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call police at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

43 freight cars leave the tracks

A broken rail was being blamed for a train derailment that sent 43 freight cars off the tracks near Battle Mountain.

No one was hurt when the derailment happened shortly after 1 a.m. Monday near Argenta, located between Battle Mountain and Carlin.

Officials said the Union Pacific freight train pulling 115 cars was en route from North Platte, Neb., to Fresno, Calif.

Other freight and passenger trains were able to use a secondary line.

Most of the cars were carrying agricultural products or auto parts, railroad officials said. One containing a flammable liquid developed a small leak but was contained.

Union Pacific officials said cleanup at the site should be completed by this afternoon.