News briefs for Nov. 11, 2002

Monday, Nov. 11, 2002 | 9:45 a.m.

Man sought in abduction of girl

Metro Police were searching for a man who kidnapped a 4-year-old girl from her apartment courtyard Sunday afternoon, but fled and left the child behind.

Metro Sexual Assault Unit detectives said the child was taken about 2:15 p.m. from an apartment complex at Boston and Fairfield avenues. The child was found moments later two buildings away from her own.

Detectives would not say whether the child had been sexually assaulted. She was at home Sunday night, Lt. Richard Collins said.

Officers described the suspect as a white man in his late 20s to early 30s, about 5-foot, 6-inches to 5-foot, 8-inches in height, weighing about 200 pounds.

He is described as having short, light brown or even blonde hair and may have a beard. He was seen wearing a long-sleeved, brown, button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

Witnesses told police he was riding a black bicycle.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call the police at 229-3111, the detectives at 229-3421 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Slaying suspect nabbed in Arizona

A Las Vegas man suspected of killing his roommate and burying his body under the floor of their apartment was arrested in Arizona on Friday.

Gregory Michael Stiegler, 36, was taken into custody in Flagstaff, Ariz., Metro Police said.

Investigators received a tip and arrested Stiegler on a warrant for the murder of Robert Wilson, 52, on May 13, Metro Homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said.

Maintenance workers and Las Vegas firefighters discovered Wilson's body on May 13 at the apartment complex in the 500 block of South Maryland Parkway after smelling a foul odor.

Stiegler is being held by the Coconino County Sheriff's Department, awaiting extradition to Nevada.

Man arrested in shooting incident

Metro Police arrested one man and seized weapons after shots were fired at the southern end of Las Vegas Boulevard South on Sunday afternoon.

Officers responded to a call of shots fired, and the area south of the Las Vegas Strip near Wheelers RV Park was sealed until the one person was taken into custody, Metro Watch Commander Lt. Richard Collins said.

"It's legal to shoot in the desert, but not at someone," Collins said.

The suspect doing the shooting could be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, he said.

Yucca Mountain to be discussed

A panel including a nuclear engineer, an environmentalist and a transportation expert will discuss shipping high-level nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

The panel discussion is scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday at the Marjorie Barrick Museum Auditorium at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The audience will be able to ask questions following panel presentations.

The seminar is part of a series hosted by the Yucca Mountain Education Project. The project is an effort by interested University of Nevada, Las Vegas faculty and staff to create balanced information for the public about a federal plan to bury 77,000 tons of highly radioactive waste in Yucca Mountain.

Work begins on downtown streets

Delays and disruptions can be expected for the next four months beginning Tuesday in downtown Las Vegas.

New sewer lines, handicapped ramps and repaving will disrupt streets between Main Street and Las Vegas Boulevard and from Bonneville Avenue to Bridger Avenue, the Las Vegas Public Works Department said.

Officials suggest using Main Street and Las Vegas Boulevard for north-south travel and Bridger Avenue or Bonneville for east-west travel.

Temporary traffic restrictions or closing roads may occur on First Street between Lewis Avenue and Bridger, on Clark Avenue between Main Street and Las Vegas Boulevard, on Casino Center Boulevard from Bonneville Avenue to Clark and on Third Street from Main to First.