News briefs for October 8, 2001

Monday, Oct. 8, 2001 | 10:36 a.m.

Elderly couple found dead

An 85-year-old man apparently shot his estranged live-in 76-year-old girlfriend and then killed himself, Metro Police said.

Officers on Saturday found the man and woman dead inside the home at 2500 block of Denham Drive, near Lake Mead and Rampart boulevards. The woman's family had not heard from her in about week before calling police to check on her.

The names of the man and woman were not released this morning.

Scala, Mack ruled fair game

A District Court judge has ruled that attorneys should be able to delve into the relationship between Las Vegas Councilman Michael Mack and Courtesy Automotive Group owner Joseph Scala, and whether it influenced the council's denial of a rival car dealership in the northwest.

Scala's attorney, Mark James, argued Friday that John Staluppi Jr., whose application for a Nissan dealership was denied by the council in June, sued Scala to intimidate him after he legally lobbied Mack.

District Judge Sally Loehrer ruled that Scala would not be dropped from the lawsuit, and that there should be full discovery into his relationship with Mack to determine whether the councilman acted improperly when he led a vote to deny Staluppi's dealership.

In the days after the vote Mack revealed he owed $60,000 to Scala and asked for Staluppi's site plan to be reconsidered so he could abstain. The item was denied a second time in July.

"A reasonable person could wonder what type of influence Mr. Scala had on Michael Mack," Loehrer said.

Police believe driver ran light

An 80-year-old Henderson man was killed Saturday morning after he failed to stop for a red light at Boulder Highway and Basic Road, police said.

Andrew Licursi was traveling north in his Toyota Tercel about 11:20 a.m. on Boulder Highway, trying to make a left turn onto Basic Road against a red light, and hit a Mercedes that was going south on Boulder Highway, police said.

The Mercedes struck the Toyota in the passenger side, then both vehicles hit a third car, which was making a right turn onto Boulder Highway, police said.

The occupants of the Mercedes were taken to University Medical Center and treated for moderate injuries, police said. The occupants of the third car were not injured.

Police are still investigating the accident. Anyone with information may call Henderson Police at 565-2009 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Wideman named to head agency

Robert Wideman, who has been in law enforcement for 24 years, has been named chief of the state Division of Investigations, succeeding Dave Hosmer, who was selected to head the Nevada Highway Patrol in August.

The appointment to the $89,742-a-year job was announced today by Richard Kirkland, director of the state Department of Public Safety. Wideman, 45, has been with the Internal Affairs Office in the Public Safety Department.