News briefs for Dec. 10, 2003

Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2003 | 11:06 a.m.

Slaying suspect found in California

Police in Southern California arrested a 15-year-old boy Monday on a warrant charging him with the killing of a man in the Boulder Station parking garage Nov. 30, Metro Police Lt. Jim Moses said.

Gerardo Lalo Perez was staying with relatives in Van Nuys, Calif., police said. Members of the Criminal Apprehension Team, a local, multi-jurisdictional task force, sent the information to Los Angeles authorities.

Perez was arrested without incident and will be extradited to Las Vegas, Moses said.

Police allege Perez shot 20-year-old Carlos Rios at Boulder Station after a fight at a party on Karen Avenue.

Three escape apartment fire

Three men escaped from their eastern Las Vegas home without injury Tuesday night after the duplex caught fire, Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

The cause of the fire appears to be accidental. There were no injuries. The damage was estimated at $50,000.

Firefighters arrived at 400 Maydelle Place, near Eastern Avenue and U.S. 95, about 9 p.m. to find half of a single-story wood frame duplex in flames, Szymanski said.

Fire crews took about 10 minutes to put the flames out and prevented the fire from spreading to the other apartment.

The three refused help from the Red Cross and planned to stay with relatives.