News briefs for May 22, 2001

Tuesday, May 22, 2001 | 10:20 a.m.

DMV systems down 2 1/2 hours

Computers in statewide offices of the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety were down 2 1/2 hours Monday, but the agency said the disruption was not due to the troubled-plagued Genesis program.

Department officials said the problem was in the state's main-frame computer, which is managed by the state Department of Information Technology. Other state agencies were also affected.

The computers were down 8 to 10:30 a.m.

Man arrested in shooting

Metro Police have arrested the boyfriend of a 39-year-old woman found shot to death in a Sandy Valley mobile home earlier this month.

Joseph Wright, 39, was arrested about 5 p.m. Monday and charged with murder, Metro homicide Lt. Wayne Petersen said.

Christine Pajak was found dead May 9 in the mobile home she shared with Wright about 50 miles southwest of Las Vegas. She had a single gunshot wound in the throat.

Homeless man is identified

A homeless man who apparently burned to death early Saturday morning has been identified as 51-year-old Charles T. Whitaker.

Metro Police on Saturday found Whitaker, who had burns that covered more than 80 percent of his body, at the Casual Labor Complex at the corner of Washington Avenue and A Street.

Whitaker was taken to University Medical Center, where he died.

Ronald J. Mulder, a 45-year-old homeless man who shared a sleeping area with Whitaker, has been charged with murder, police said. A witness reported seeing Mulder pour some type of liquid on Whitaker before lighting him on fire, police said.

Stabbing victim was 19 years old

The Clark County coroner's office has identified a 19-year-old man found stabbed to death in the aftermath Saturday night of what Metro Police say was a gang fight that involved about 20 people.

Fernando Gomez-Cervantes, 19, was found stabbed to death in an alley between McKeller and Calcaterra circles near Flamingo and Paradise roads Saturday night.

Police say a confrontation between rival gang members led to the fight, which included bottles and knives, just before 10 p.m. As police arrived, the participants scattered. Although some of the participants were later located, no arrests have been made due to a lack of witnesses, Sgt. Kevin Manning said.

Police have not ruled out self-defense, Manning said.

Anyone with information regarding the circumstances surrounding the victim's death is asked to call police at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

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