News briefs for Feb. 11, 2003

Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2003 | 9:46 a.m.

Woman's body found in desert

A woman's body was dumped along a road near Nipton, Calif., and authorities are looking for leads.

Sgt. Frank Gonzales of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office said a driver spotted the body early Monday morning at the northbound on-ramp to Interstate 15, near Nipton Road, about 55 miles south of Las Vegas.

The victim's age is estimated at late teen up to 30, he said. It appears she suffered trauma to the upper body. She is described as about 5 feet 3 inches tall and between 110 and 115 pounds with reddish brown hair. She was wearing a gray, black and white shirt and Gap jeans. She was not wearing shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at (909) 422-7755.

Work starts on river approach

Construction work has begun on a new highway that will allow traffic to cross the Colorado River without using Hoover Dam.

The first 1.8-mile section of highway connecting U.S. Highway 93 in Arizona to the bridge crossing has been given the go-ahead, Dave Zanetell, Federal Highway Administration bypass project manager, said.

In addition to the highway approach, the Arizona side of the Hoover Dam project will include a footbridge spanning a canyon on the eastside of Sugarloaf Mountain, drainage improvements and wildlife crossings.

The Arizona approach is scheduled for completion in October 2004.

The Highway Administration plans to advertise the second phase of the four-phase project, the Nevada approach, in June.

The project, due for completion in 2007, entails building 3.5 miles of four-lane roadway and a 2,000-foot-long bridge located 1,700 feet downstream from Hoover Dam.

Girl's funeral scheduled Saturday

A lawyer for David Cowan, father of Mesquite stabbing victim Kristyanna Cowan, said the girl's funeral has been scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Weaver Mortuary in Beaumont, Calif.

This is the third time Kristyanna Cowan's funeral has been rescheduled because of disputes between David Cowan and the girl's mother, Tammy Bergeron.

A funeral scheduled for last Saturday was postponed after Bergeron refused to allow Kristyanna's body to be released from Desert Mortuary until she approved of what dress the girl would be buried in, exactly where she was to be buried and what would be in her casket.

Cowan's attorney Bill Errico said the girl's father "was never worried about things like clothes. He just wanted to lay his daughter to rest, and that's all he's ever cared about."

Errico sought a court order Friday from District Judge Sally Loehrer directing the mortuary to release the girl's remains.

The funeral was initially scheduled for Jan. 28, but Bergeron and Cowan disagreed about where their daughter should be buried. A court hearing was scheduled, but the two seemed to have come to an agreement without a judge's help. Bergeron reneged on the agreement Friday, Errico said.

A Sacramento man

was sentenced in federal court Monday to 12 years in prison after entering a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute PCP. Dwayne Dunlap, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks in connection with the sales of more than 40 ounces of liquid PCP in Las Vegas. Dunlap was also sentenced to five years probation after being released from prison.

Former newspaper cartoonist Ray Collins

withdrew from the Boulder City mayoral race on Monday. Collins, 72, said he was dropping out of the race for health reasons. The remaining candidates for mayor are incumbent Bob Ferraro, Councilman Mike Pacini and former Councilman Bill Smith.