News briefs for April 4, 2002

Thursday, April 4, 2002 | 10:56 a.m.

Driver loses control, hits median

A 22-year-old man was killed this morning when he lost control of his car and slammed into a concrete barrier on Interstate 15.

The accident happened about 4:20 a.m. when the Geo Tracker heading north on the freeway at Sahara Avenue hit the center median. The car rolled, and the driver was thrown from the car.

The barrier saved the life of a construction worker who was working behind it, Nevada Highway Patrol officials said.

The worker was hit by some debris from the accident, but suffered only cuts.

Blaze strikes strip mall stores

A fire early Wednesday destroyed a storefront church and a beauty shop and damaged several other stores in a strip mall, Clark County fire officials said.

The fire is under investigation, but there is no evidence to suggest the blaze is suspicious, Assistant Chief Joe Planck said.

Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents were called, but Planck said that is normal when a church is involved in a fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials believe the fire started in the church.

Firefighters were called to the strip mall on Tropicana Avenue near Topaz Street about 2 a.m. Wednesday. The church and beauty shop were found engulfed in flames, officials said.

The fire did not spread, but other stores had smoke and water damage, officials said.

Pedestrian hit by motorcycle

A 59-year-old woman struck by one of two speeding motorcycles as she tried to cross a street Wednesday afternoon was in critical condition this morning.

June Sembrat of Las Vegas was crossing Spring Mountain Road near Torrey Pines Drive about 2 p.m. Wednesday when the driver of one of the two racing-style motorcycles hit her, Metro Police said.

Both drivers of the motorcycles failed to stop and fled westbound, police said.

Sembrat was taken to University Medical Center for treatment.

A possible suspect has been identified, but no arrest had been made as of this morning. The investigation is continuing, police said.

Bank robber's appeal rejected

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of Vincent G. Parks, who was convicted in a $72,000 robbery of a Las Vegas bank in 1998.

The court Wednesday rejected Parks' argument that a confession of a co-defendant, Hakim Williams, should not have been read at their trial. Williams implicated Parks in the robbery, but those portions of the confession were erased when read to the jury.

The two and driver Ellis Clark were convicted of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, armed bank robbery, aiding and abetting and use of a firearm. Parks received a life term plus five years on his convictions.

After Parks was convicted, his lawyer learned of a plan by Parks to take him hostage during a prison visit. The attorney received permission to bow out of the case. Parks' sentencing was delayed for 16 months.

Parks claimed the delay denied him a speedy trial and the right to counsel. The appeals court rejected the argument.

County Commission approves zoning

The Clark County Commission gave zoning approval for a planned HCA hospital on 34 acres at Fort Apache and Sunset roads in southwest Las Vegas.

The eight-story, 130-bed hospital was approved without dissent. Ann Lynch, HCA spokeswoman, said the project would cost about $140 million and should open in January 2004.

The community full-service hospital should help ease a bed shortage in the Las Vegas Valley, she said. HCA, a nationwide hospital chain, operates Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center and MountainView Hospital.

Henderson traffic to be diverted

Boulder Highway will be closed to traffic in both directions between College and Horizon drives in Henderson from 9 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday.

The detour for southbound travel will be south on College Drive and east on Horizon Drive. The detour for northbound travel will be west on Horizon Drive and north on College Drive.

The road will be closed to continue installation of a reinforced concrete box culvert for a flood control channel.

Accomplice killed during incident

A Las Vegas woman and man were charged Wednesday with murder in a case in which their accomplice was shot and killed by an apartment resident as the three tried to confront the resident last month.

Ashley Almquist, 21, and Kellee Salisbury, 18, were booked into the Clark County jail Wednesday on second-degree murder and burglary charges.

Under the law, if someone is killed during the commission of a crime, the accomplices can be charged with murder, Monahan said.

The shooting of Crockett by the resident was determined to be justified and he faces no charges.

The University of Nevada, Reno

will receive a $936,000 grant from the Energy Department for work on clean, alternative geothermal energy, Nevada Sens. Harry Reid, the majority whip, and John Ensign, his Republican colleague, announced Wednesday.

An estimated 31,000 Nevada students

could die because of their smoking habit, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said on Wednesday, designated "Kick Butts Day," named after the character, "Mr. Butts," in the cartoon Doonesbury. Clark County School Superintendent Carlos Garcia issued a challenge to all Nevada schools to join the effort to pick up a minimum of 31,000 cigarette butts in and near the school campuses.