News briefs for April 1, 2002

Monday, April 1, 2002 | 10:30 a.m.

Defendant enters guilty plea

A 21-year-old Massachusetts man entered a plea agreement in connection with the August 2000 stabbing death of a 36-year-old man.

Stephen Capachetti pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with use of a deadly weapon and will be sentenced to eight to 20 years after his federal case on drug charges is resolved, Deputy District Attorney Robert Daskas said.

Jose Alava-Solorzano, 36, died from stab wounds after getting into a fight with Capachetti in a house in the 6400 block of Eagle Point Road near Rainbow Boulevard and Alexander Road.

Smoking in bed blamed for death

A 79-year-old woman died Sunday after apparently falling asleep while smoking in bed, causing a fire, Las Vegas Fire officials said.

Firefighters were called to an apartment complex on Valley View Boulevard at Charleston Boulevard Sunday about 8:30 p.m. Firefighters found the woman on the floor in the kitchen with her walker in her hand, officials said.

Fire officials said it appeared she was heading for the front door. The fire was in the rear bedroom and the apartment had filled with smoke, officials said.

The fire gutted the bedroom and was ruled accidental, but did not spread to any other apartments.

Two airmen die in collision

Two Nellis Air Force Base airmen and a limousine driver were killed in a weekend crash that Metro Police suspect was caused by alcohol and speed.

A pickup driven by Senior Airman Nathan M. Sausville, 24, tried to pass cars on Industrial Road near Tropicana Avenue about 2:15 a.m. Saturday, using the two-way turn lane, and drifted into oncoming traffic, hitting a limousine, police said.

Sausville and Senior Airman Joshua L. Engels, 26, were killed in the crash. The limousine driver, Bryan J. Jennings, 44, of Las Vegas, was also killed.

Two passengers in the truck were injured. Senior Airman Lawrence Devereaux, 22, was listed this morning in serious condition in University Medical Center, and Amy Matejka, 35, of Las Vegas, was in fair condition. There were no passengers in the limousine.

The investigation into the accident is continuing, but evidence indicates that alcohol was a factor in the crash, police said.