News briefs for April 2, 2002

Tuesday, April 2, 2002 | 10:57 a.m.

Jeep plunges into ravine

A Henderson teenager was killed Monday afternoon when he drove a jeep off a 50-foot drop and into a culvert.

A second teenager in the car suffered critical injuries and was flown by helicopter to University Medical Center after being pulled from the jeep in a desert area off Lake Mead Drive.

The accident happened about 2:30 p.m. while the teens were driving in the desert, Henderson Police Lt. Hector Mancillas said.

"They went by some workers on a power line road pretty fast," Mancillas said. "The workers tried to flag them down, but they didn't stop."

Metro officers ID'd in shooting

The two Metro Police officers who shot a man over the weekend were identified this morning as Officers Chance McClish and Jason Cunningham.

The two shot 31-year-old Cesar Nunez twice about 9 p.m. Saturday near Oakey Boulevard and Las Vegas Boulevard South after he raised a gun toward the officers, police said.

Officers confronted Nunez and ordered him to put down his backpack. He complied, but pulled a handgun from his waistband, police said.

Police allege he pointed the gun at the ground, then raised it toward the officers, who then fired.

Nunez was shot in the stomach and the thigh and was listed in serious condition at University Medical Center this morning.

National group OKs accreditation

Henderson Police today will accept national accreditation at the City Council meeting from a private nonprofit group that sets strict standards for agencies.

Henderson Police completed the process set up by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. The commission praised the department for its training on less-than-lethal force and community policing.

Only 500 police agencies have achieved accreditation worldwide. Departments must follow standards for police policies and procedures, including high standards on use of force, internal investigations, training and recruiting.

Car jumps median on Sahara

A woman died Monday night, and a man was in critical condition after the car they were in crashed into a palm tree along Sahara Avenue near 17th Street.

Rescuers had to cut a woman and a man out of their car after the crash, about 8:30 p.m., and Sahara Avenue was closed in both directions for nearly three hours, Metro Police Detective Bill Redfairn said.

The 35-year-old female driver, whose name was not released this morning, died shortly after arriving at University Medical Center. Michael J. Timlinson, the passenger, was in critical condition this morning.

"It looks like speed is the primary factor in the collision," Redfairn said.

The car landed upside down, trapping the two occupants inside, Redfairn said.

18-month-old in critical condition

An 18-month-old girl is in critical but stable condition at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center's pediatric intensive care unit after nearly drowning in the family's pool Monday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said the family dialed 911 after finding the toddler in the pool about 4:30 p.m. Monday at a house in the 5300 block of Varsity Avenue. "The body was cold and blue," he said.

Fierce insects found in tree

Fire ants, which can cause major damage if they become established, have been discovered in a tree sold by a Las Vegas nursery, the state Department of Agriculture said Monday.

State Entomologist Jeff Knight said the ants were found in a seven-gallon queen palm purchased at Charleston Plant World.

A homeowner noticed the aggressive stinging of the ants and notified the state agency. Of 150 trees received by Charleston Plant World, 100 have been sold. Knight said anyone who purchased these trees should call his agency at (775) 688-1182.

"Red imported fire ants are aggressive and will repeatedly sting anything that disturbs them," Knight said. "Their aggressiveness renders infested outdoor recreation areas like playgrounds, school yards and back yards unusable."

HCA to ask for zone change

HCA Corp. will ask the Clark County Commission for a zone change to allow a new hospital Wednesday.

The company, which owns Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center and MountainView Hospital, plans to build an eight-story, 342,000-square-foot complex at the corner of Fort Apache and Sunset roads. The company needs a zone change from residential to commercial to build the hospital.

Ann Lynch, an HCA spokeswoman, said the hospital will have about 130 beds.

Members named to state board

A board to run the state's emergency medical malpractice insurance plan was appointed today and will hold its first meeting 11 a.m. Thursday at the Bradley Building in Las Vegas, to be teleconferenced to Carson City.

Named from Las Vegas were Harry Brandise, a longtime insurance professional; Richard Jost, an attorney specializing in bonds; Sandy Peltyn, vice president of community affairs for Martin-Peltyn Structural Engineers, and Dr. William Stephan, a retired physician.

Insurance Commissioner Alice Molasky-Arman also appointed Robert Byrd, a former board member of the Nevada Medical Liability Association formed in 1975 to deal with a similar crisis. Byrd ran the operation for a number of years

The emergency plan was announced in response to the pullout of St. Paul Cos., which had provided malpractice coverage to 40 percent of the state's doctors. The state association is to begin offering coverage April 15.

LV Jewish community rallies

The Las Vegas Jewish community rallied today behind Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and pledged support in the wake of a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings that have claimed more than 40 lives in just five days.

"The most basic responsibility of any democratic society is to protect its citizens," Meyer L. Bodoff, executive vice president of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas said this morning. "Israel's citizens are being slaughtered in their homes, at bar mitzvah celebrations, coffee shops, even pizza parlors."

The Jewish Federation, which held a press conference at its Las Vegas office today to show solidarity with Jews in Israel and all victims of terrorism, is also seeking donations to help victims and families of the suicide bombings. For more information, go to www.jewishlasvegas.com.

archive