Las Vegas news briefs for March 29, 2001

Thursday, March 29, 2001 | 11 a.m.

Young bicyclist dies in collision

A 12-year-old riding his bicycle across Charleston Boulevard against a red light died after he was struck by an oncoming car Wednesday afternoon.

Billy Wagoner was trying to cross Charleston Boulevard at the intersection of Hinson Street from the northeast corner to the southeast corner about 3 p.m., Metro Police said.

Witnesses told police that Wagoner and several pedestrians started to cross Charleston against the light, despite a flashing "don't walk' signal. Drivers in the right and center travel lanes of westbound Charleston were able to avoid the group, but a Hyundai in the left travel lane hit Wagoner, police said.

It appeared that the pedestrians saw the oncoming car and stopped walking, but Wagoner pedaled into the path of the Hyundai, causing the collision, police said.

Wagoner was taken to University Medical Center, where he later died of his injuries.

The accident was the 20th traffic-related fatality in Metro's jurisdiction this year.

Police searching for suspect

Metro Police continue to search for a 30-year-old man in connection with the shooting death of Jeffrey Bolte, 18, in the garage of a home Monday.

Police were called to a house in the 1400 block of Euclid Avenue, near Eastern and St. Louis avenues, about 6:25 a.m. and found Bolte on the floor of the garage with a shotgun wound in the stomach. Bolte died at University Medical Center at 7:05 a.m. Monday, police said.

Detectives are searching for 30-year-old Jason Raeder in connection with the slaying, and say that Raeder was one of Bolte's roommates.

Raeder is described as white, 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-8 inches tall, weighing about 240 pounds with a shaved head and numerous tattoos. Raeder is a registered felon with convictions for robbery, police said.

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

Group renews drive

An ad-hoc group, Citizens for a Safer Henderson, met Wednesday to renew the campaign for a public safety tax that voters rejected by a narrow margin in November.

The tax initiative goes before voters for a second time in seven months June 5 in the general municipal election. It asks for a tax that would cost owners of a $100,000 home $84 annually for the next 30 years. The money would be used to put 237 new public safety officers on the streets over seven years. The tax is expected to raise $850 million over the three decades.

About 15 people showed up at the Green Valley home of Jim Ferrence to outline a campaign of door-to-door house calls, yard signs, mailers and phone banks. The campaign will start April 7.

The group says voters did not understand the need for the tax or the number of other services that will have to be cut to make up the difference if the measure fails.