News briefs for February 20, 2002

Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002 | 11 a.m.

Cause of man's death studied

The cause of death for a man who died after scuffling with Metro Police over the weekend is pending further tests, Clark County coroner officials said.

Craig Becker, 47, died Saturday at Lake Mead Hospital Medical Center after a confrontation with police at his home in the 4700 block of East Washington Avenue near Nellis Boulevard.

Police, responding to a report of a family disturbance, found the interior of Becker's home damaged. They attempted to take Becker into custody for an metal evaluation, police said.

Officers James Coovert, 33, Christopher Peto, 29, and Matthew Gillis, 28, struggleed with Becker, who police say was combative. During the struggle, officers used pepper spray on Becker, but it seemed to have no effect, police said.

Once Becker was handcuffed and sitting up, he suffered a medical emergency. Paramedics started to help him, and he was taken to Lake Mead Hospital, where he died.

The officers are on paid leave until the investigation determines if their actions caused Becker's death.

Fatal accident at Mandalay Bay

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death of an iron worker who fell to his death Tuesday at the site of Mandalay Bay's under-construction convention center.

The accident happened about 1:30 p.m. when the worker fell between 60 and 100 feet onto a concrete slab, Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said.

The worker's name was not released this morning by the Clark County coroner's office.

Sulfur found to be culprit

Laboratory tests found sulfur mixed into asphalt caused the blue flames seen by residents living near American Pacific Road and Stephanie Street, Henderson emergency director Michael Cyphers said.

Firefighters, hazardous materials experts and the FBI responded to flames reported on Friday. The three-day holiday delayed analysis of the substance, but firefighters smothered the smouldering compound with dirt, Cyphers said.

The flames occurred at the Hanson Aggregates site, where materials for paving local roads are mixed and sold to Southern Nevada contractors, Cyphers said.

Students spot 33-year-old

A mentally disabled man missing for a week was found Tuesday a few blocks from where he was last seen.

German "Herman" Ramos, 33, apparently was just lost and wandering since he was last seen about 6 p.m. Feb. 12, Metro Police said.

Two high school students spotted Ramos Tuesday afternoon a few blocks from where he was last seen in the area of the 4200 block of Thom Boulevard near Rancho Drive and Cheyenne Avenue.

Ramos was taken to University Medical Center and was in fair condition this morning.

Cost of getting married rises

The Clark County Commission on Tuesday bumped up the cost of getting married locally by $15.

The commission passed the ordinance to raise the cost of a marriage license from $35 to $45, taking advantage of a law passed by the 2001 Legislature from Assembly Bill 94. Another $5 was tacked on to support a state fund for victims of domestic violence, which also had been approved at the last Legislature.

The proposed ordinance was introduced Feb. 5 and was passed after a public hearing Tuesday.

A 77-year-old man

who died Monday when he was hit by a van was identified as Raymond Aponte of Las Vegas. Aponte was struck Monday about 7:50 a.m. as he tried to cross Nellis Boulevard near Desert Inn Road outside of a crosswalk. The accident is under investigation.

A woman found Tuesday dead

in a car in Henderson has been identified as Shao Lei Liu, who had been reported missing. The cause of death is pending more forensic tests, but Henderson Police are investigating the case as a homicide, police said. Liu was found dead in her car Sunday on Spague Street in a neighborhood off Boulder Highway, about 12:30 p.m.