News briefs for March 11, 2002

Monday, March 11, 2002 | 11:06 a.m.

Runaway girl, 12, being sought

Metro Police are looking for a runaway 12-year-old girl who has been missing for about two weeks.

Blanca Meras was last seen at the swap meet at Bonanza Road and Eastern Avenue on Feb. 22. She was last seen wearing blue jeans and a plaid short-sleeve blue shirt.

She is described as Hispanic, 5 foot 4, about 145 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information in this case is asked to call Metro's missing persons unit as 229-4172 or Secret Witness 385-5555.

Assemblywoman improves slightly

Assemblywoman Sandra Tiffany has shown enough signs of improvement that her condition was upgraded slightly from critical to guarded.

Tiffany, R-Henderson, has been hospitalized since March 4 after she suffered severe pain while onboard a commercial flight to Sacramento.

Updates and information about Tiffany -- including instructions on how to give blood in her benefit -- are on a website (www.sandratiffany.com).

Drive-by claims LV man, 18

One Las Vegas man was killed and another wounded in an apparent drive-by shooting Saturday night.

Israel Ortiz, 18, of Las Vegas was shot in the head and died Saturday. Another man, 19, was released from University Medical Center after being treated for a minor gunshot wound in the back, Metro Police said.

Police were called to the 9400 block of Las Vegas Boulevard South about 11 p.m. Saturday, where friends of Ortiz were trying to resuscitate the victim.

Police said both victims were looking for a party when shots were fired by unknown men in one of two cars, a white or light colored Buick Regal or a white or light gray Lincoln with fancy rims.

Anyone with information on the identity of the shooters is urged to contact Secret Witness at 385-5555 or Metro Homicide at 229-3521.

Man arrested in killing of brother

Gregory K. Bartels of Las Vegas has been arrested in the stabbing death Saturday of his brother, Daniel Bartels.

The suspect called Metro Police about 2:20 p.m. Saturday from his apartment in the 3600 block of North Rancho Drive to report that his brotherhad been stabbed. Officers said the stabbing appeared to have occurred after an argument over money.

Man lying in street run over

A man lying in the street was killed when he was struck by a 1994 Toyota and dragged about 220 feet Saturday, North Las Vegas Police said.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene in the 600 block of East Lake Mead Boulevard, officers said.

Witnesses said the victim was lying on the road when the vehicle struck. The accident is still under investigation and no citations or arrests have been made.

Pahrump resident dies in collision

A Pahrump resident, 22, riding in a 1991 Toyota pickup was killed when he was ejected during a collision with a 1998 Jeep Sunday, Metro Police said.

Stephen Pewitt, 16, of Las Vegas, the driver of the Jeep, suffered minor injuries in the collision at Torrey Pines Drive and Ann Road, officers said. Police said the Jeep entered the intersection from a stop sign into the path of the Toyota. The truck rolled onto its roof.

Pickup driver Casey Fredenburg, 19, of Las Vegas, was taken to University Medical Center with moderate injuries. Another passenger, Anthony Sielczak, 17, was treated for minor injuries. Metro Police are continuing their investigation of the 24th fatal collision this year. Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to call Secret Witness at 385-5555 or Detective Oscar Chavez at 229-3786.

Hazardous waste site penalized

USEcology, which operates a hazardous waste dump site at Beatty, has agreed to pay a $48,080 fine for two violations of state air quality standards.

The state Environmental Commission Friday accepted a settlement with USEcology, which admitted emissions of particulate matter and volatile organic compounds violated the law.

The company was also cited for failing to file reports, but there were no penalties assessed for what were termed "minor violations" by the state.

The environmental commission said USEcology is now considered to be in compliance with all air quality operations.

13,000 to qualify for added benefits

Up to 13,000 Nevadans may be eligible for an extra 13 weeks of unemployment benefits under a bill signed Saturday by President Bush.

The state Employment Security Division said those who qualify can file their claims as early as March 18.

Those eligible must have filed a claim since March 15, 2001, and have exhausted their benefits. The benefit is not retroactive.

Mesquite man's appeal rejected

A Mesquite man, involved in a plan to kidnap, rob and murder a teenage boy to obtain the custom auto rims from the boy's car, has lost his appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court.

The court Friday rejected claims by attorneys for Joseph Sanchez there was insufficient evidence to convict him for murder, robbery and kidnapping in the death of 16-year-old Fernando Moreno.

Sanchez also said that some prosecution testimony should have been excluded at the trial.

Sanchez, 19, and Michael Cu, 23, were both sentenced to life in prison. It will be 40 years before they are eligible for parole.

Moreno was shot seven times with a high-powered rifle about 30 miles northeast of Las Vegas in 1996. Sanchez objected to the introduction at trial of testimony from a man who had talked to Cu about the killings. Sanchez said there was no verification that he was at the scene when Moreno was shot.

Afghan duty over soon

The 15 members of the Nevada Air National Guard securities forces, who guarded the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, are due back in Reno soon.

Col. Larry Cerfoglio, deputy commander of the 152nd Airlift Wing, said Saturday the security squad was deployed Dec. 19 and it guarded the base about 25 miles north of Kabul.

"Members of our squad had the advantage of being law enforcement officers on their civilian side," Cerfoglio said.

New Predator squadron activated

A new Predator squadron, the 17th Reconnaissance, was activated Friday at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, about 35 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

The unit joins the 11th and 15th Reconnaissance squadrons at the Air Force's third RQ-1 Predator Squadron, according to Gen. John Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, who activated the unit.

The RQ-1 Predator, built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., is a medium altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle system designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information.

Mayor cooks for Yucca funds

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman's culinary skills helped him raise more than $1,000 for the city's fight against Yucca Mountain.

Goodman on Saturday served up steaks at The Great Steak and Potato Company in the Meadows Mall for one hour to raise money for the city's legal fight against Yucca Mountain.

He raised a total of $1,250, said Erik Pappa, the city's senior public information officer.

Goodman said the money will be used by the city in its push to stop high-level nuclear waste from being shipped to Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.