News briefs for January 11, 2002

Friday, Jan. 11, 2002 | 9:27 a.m.

Brown sues car dealer

Las Vegas Councilman Larry Brown has filed a lawsuit against John Staluppi Jr., claiming the East Coast car dealer filed an ethics complaint and lawsuit against him in an extortion attempt.

The lawsuit filed this week in Clark County District Court claims Brown found himself the target of an ethics complaint because he voted against Staluppi's proposed car dealership at Rancho Drive.

"The defendant's sole reason for filing the complaint was to extort and pressure Brown in an effort to obtain an automobile dealership," the lawsuit states.

In June, Brown and fellow Councilman Michael Mack voted against Staluppi's dealership. A series of lawsuits and ethics complaints were filed against them once it was discovered that Mack had an outstanding $60,000 loan from rival car dealer Joseph Scala.

The lawsuit and ethics complaint against Brown were ultimately dismissed, with officials ruling that there was no evidence of wrongdoing against him. Mack still faces ethics charges and a lawsuit.

Staluppi's attorney, Anthony Sgro, could not be reached for comment this morning, but Sgro has said the lawsuit and ethics complaint against Mack would be if Staluppi is allowed to open a car dealership.

Car crashes into tractor-trailer

A 17-year-old North Las Vegas girl was killed Thursday when the car she was riding in skidded out of control for 400 feet and crashed into a tractor-trailer.

Alma Alvarado was killed after the driver lost control of a 1997 Mitsubishi that was carrying four teenage passengers, North Las Vegas Police said.

All five passengers were taken to University Medical Center. The driver is in critical condition, a 19-year-old was released and two other 17-year-olds are in stable condition.

The car lodged under a tractor-tractor trailer parked on the east side of the 3800 block of Losee Road near Craig Road.

The accident occurred about 1:30 p.m. on Thursday as the Mitsubishi traveled at a high rate of speed, police said.

"Our investigation showed that none of the occupants in the vehicle had used their seat belts," Lt. Chris Larotonda said.

Boy, 16, wounded during horseplay

A 16-year-old boy shot in July while wrestling with a friend over a gun died Sunday at an out-of-state hospital from the gunshot wound.

The teen was at a friend's home on July 27 when the pair, who were playing with a gun began wrestling with it and the gun went off, Lt. Tom Monahan said.

The teens were not fighting, but horsing around at the time the shot was fired, he said.

The 16-year-old who was wounded was taken to University Medical Center and later transferred to another hospital out of state. Police did not release the victim's name.

The other teen faced charges in Juvenile Court after the incident and was adjudicated. No details were available about his sentence.

Father sentenced to life term

A Las Vegas man who pleaded guilty to beating his 3-week-old son to death was sentenced to life in prison Thursday.

District Judge Donald Mosley gave Joaquin Perry-Edwards a 10-year to life sentence for the second-degree murder of Elijah Perry-Edwards and a consecutive three to 10-year sentence for child abuse and neglect.

Perry-Edwards will have to serve at least 13 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.

Perry-Edwards, 38, was charged with killing his son in January after striking the boy twice in the chest, causing the baby's heart to rupture.

Perry-Edwards told police he first struck his son in the chest because he thought the baby was choking. The second time was out of frustration, he said, because the baby wouldn't stop crying and Perry-Edwards was trying to make dinner.

Las Vegas Councilman Michael Mack

will celebrate the opening of Sunny Springs Park noon to 2 p.m. Saturday. The park, between Sunny Springs and Tealwood avenues, will include four basketball courts, two tennis courts, a skate park and more.