News briefs for October 10, 2001

Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2001 | 8:46 a.m.

Couple arrested in Missouri

A man and a woman wanted in connection with the attempted murder of a Henderson Police officer were arrested in Missouri early Tuesday morning.

William Ronald Clark, 23, and Melissa Hack, 25, were arrested about 12:30 a.m. in Blue Springs, outside of Independence, Mo., a Henderson Police spokesman said.

Clark and Hack were wanted in connection with an Oct. 2 incident in Henderson, in which shots were fired from a moving vehicle and were directed at an officer following in a patrol car.

The officer was not injured, but four of the shots hit the patrol car and caused the vehicle to stall, police said.

Both Clark and Hack are fighting extradition to Nevada to face charges of attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon, possession of a stolen vehicle and stolen property and felony evading, police said.

Bailiff arrested on sex charge

Bail of $60,000 has been set for a Las Vegas Justice Court bailiff arrested at the Clark County Courthouse Friday on sexual assault charges.

Phillip Allen made his initial appearance before Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo Tuesday morning, said Michael Sommermeyer, District Court spokesman.

He is expected to be arraigned this morning on six counts of sexual assault of a minor under 14, Sommermeyer said.

Sommermeyer said North Las Vegas detectives, along with courthouse bailiffs, arrested Allen without incident shortly after he arrived at work at 6:30 a.m. Friday.

Allen, who had recently transferred to Las Vegas from Laughlin, is accused of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl, Sommermeyer said.

Detention basin reduces hazard

Flood insurance will no longer be required for more than 4,000 acres in the southwest part of the Las Vegas Valley with the completion of a water detention basin.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, a regulatory agency that oversees the national flood insurance program, approved the move after the 44-foot-deep Blue Diamond Detention Basin was completed in December at a cost of $10.6 million.

The decision came after the Clark County Regional Flood Control District completed a major flood control project.

The detention basin will collect runoff from a 68-square-mile area, protecting five miles downstream to Arville and Russell roads, Regional Flood Control District General Manager Gale Fraser said. Property owners can continue to insure their parcels, although the annual premiums will be reduced, he said.

Vanderhoff gets a second star

Brig. Gen. Giles Vanderhoff, Nevada's adjutant general who commands more than 3,000 members of the Army and Air National Guard, has been promoted to the rank of major general.

Gov. Kenny Guinn, in a small ceremony in his office, pinned the extra star on Vanderhoff's uniform. The promotion came after confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

Vanderhoff, appointed adjutant general in January by Guinn, is a 42-year active duty and Guard veteran.