News briefs for Oct. 31, 2002

Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 | 11:14 a.m.

Trooper blamed for collision

A Nevada Highway Patrol trooper is being blamed for a crash just after midnight this morning at Desert Inn Road and Jones Boulevard.

Trooper James Olschlager, 44, was driving a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria east on Desert Inn Road, approaching Jones Boulevard, with his lights and siren on, Metro Police said.

A Ford Explorer, driven by Donald Fagan, 37, was heading south on Jones, approaching Desert Inn, on a green light.

Olschlager entered the intersection on a red light and hit the Explorer, police said. The Explorer came to rest on its roof.

Olschlager and Fagan are were taken to University Medical Center to be treated for moderate injuries, a hospital spokesman said.

The cause of the collision appears to be Olschlager's failure to make sure the intersection was clear before he entered it, Trooper Alan Davidson said this morning.

Olschlager will go before an accident review board, Davidson said.

Pedestrian critical after being hit

A 31-year-old pedestrian was critically injured when he was hit by a car about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday on West Charleston Boulevard, Metro Police said.

John Quoss, 31, was trying to cross Charleston in the middle of the block near Shadow Lane, police said, when he walked into the path of a 1999 Hyundai.

He suffered head injuries and was taken to University Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition this morning.

The cause of the collision is jaywalking, police said, noting that Quoss was less than 100 feet from a marked crosswalk, which is controlled by a traffic signal.

Two departments move to City Hall

The Las Vegas Office of Business Development and Department of Human Resources have moved to the second floor of the newly expanded City Hall at 400 E. Stewart Ave.

Metered parking is available in the new parking garage across the street from City Hall. Access to the new offices is through the enclosed pedestrian bridge between the structures on the third level.

Business Development previously was located at 400 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Human Resources previously was at 416 N. Seventh St.

The phone number for the Office of Business Development is 229-6551. The phone number for Human Resources is 229-6315.

Motorcyclist killed in collision

A 45-year-old motorcyclist was killed about 4:40 p.m. Wednesday when the driver of a sport utility vehicle ran a stop sign at Casino Center Boulevard and Colorado Avenue, Metro Police said.

A Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Carol Mleczko, 55, of Las Vegas was heading east on Colorado approaching Casino Center when, police say, she failed to stop at a stop sign.

The SUV collided with a Kawasaki motorcycle, which was heading south on Casino Center. The motorcyclist, whose identity was not released this morning, was thrown from his bike and killed, police said.

The SUV continued south into the northbound lanes of Casino Center and collided with a GMC pickup truck driven by Michael Lane of Las Vegas.

Mleczko, a passenger and Lane were hospitalized with minor injuries. No charges have been filed, pending an investigation.

Bomb threat spurs evacuation

A day-care center was evacuated Wednesday morning after a man robbed Sun West Bank at Eastern and Wigwam avenues and left behind a briefcase that he said contained a bomb, the FBI said.

The robber, about 9:40 a.m., made a verbal demand for cash and left the briefcase on the counter, claiming it was a bomb, FBI Special Agent Daron Borst said. He fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Metro Police, FBI agents and the Clark County Fire Department's bomb squad responded and evacuated businesses within 500 feet of the bank. However, the briefcase didn't contain a bomb, and surrounding businesses returned to normal by 12:30 p.m., Borst said.

The robber is described as a white man, 60 to 65 years old, between 5 feet 8 and 5 feet 10 inches tall with a stocky build and salt and pepper hair. He was wearing all black. His face was not covered, Borst said.

Man stabbed in casino parking lot

A 24-year-old man was stabbed in the neck Wednesday in the parking lot of the Speedway casino in North Las Vegas, police said.

The victim, Jorge Cervantes, told police he pulled into the parking lot of the Speedway at 3227 Civic Center Drive to check a tire on his vehicle.

Witnesses said a man exited a vehicle and approached Cervantes, spoke to the victim, then struck him in the neck with what appeared to be a knife, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the North Las Vegas Detective Bureau at 633-1773 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.