News briefs for Jan. 3, 2003

Friday, Jan. 3, 2003 | 11:11 a.m.

$1.9 million grant goes to housing

A $1.9 million grant will help pay for 334 housing units for low- to moderate-income families in Clark County, officials said Thursday.

The money comes from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and will be divided among Nevada HAND, Habitat for Humanity of Las Vegas, Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada and the North Las Vegas Housing Authority.

The bank leverages funds from local governments, federal agencies and the public sector, Lawrence H. Parks, senior vice president for the bank, said.

Competitive grants then encourage bank members and community-based housing groups to submit applications proposing innovative methods to build affordable housing.

The bank awarded $50 million to 151 housing programs throughout Arizona, California and Nevada in 2002.

'Springfield Sam's' trial set Tuesday

An elderly, reputed mobster known as "Springfield Sam" will go to trial next week over shots fired at a Las Vegas car dealership.

Samuel Manarite appeared before District Judge Michael Douglas on Thursday. His trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday.

Manarite, 83, faces three felony counts, including two counts of attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon, one count of burglary while in possession of a firearm and an additional firearm charge.

He also faces a federal probation violation charge.

Manarite is being held at the Clark County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond.

Dino Boggiano was shot in the wrist at Astro Auto Sales on South Main Street after a confrontation involving the sale of a car, prosecutors said. Manarite was shot in the shoulder during the incident in September.

Manarite's attorney, James "Bucky" Buchanan, maintains it was Boggiano, not Manarite, who fired the first shot. Buchanan said Manarite was acting in self-defense.

Law enforcement had busy holiday

Eighty-six motorists were arrested on drunken driving charges in Metro Police and Nevada Highway Patrol jurisdictions during the New Year's Holiday, but few arrests were the result of traffic accidents, officials said.

The Highway Patrol today reported 60 people were arrested for driving under the influence Tuesday and Wednesday, but only eight of them were in accidents. Metro today reported 26 DUI arrests, but no statistics were immediately available on whether any resulted from auto accidents.

Highway Patrol spokesman Trooper Jim Olschlager said the bulk of arrests were made from "pro active" traffic stops made by troopers who witnessed cars failing to stay within traffic lanes and otherwise reckless driving.

Also from those stops, eight people were arrested on outstanding warrants and four were arrested for misdemeanor offenses committed in front of troopers.

UNLV Police reported two DUI arrests, and the Moapa Tribal Police reported one DUI arrest, during the same 48 hours.

Troopers investigated 80 crashes, two of which were fatal, 22 of which involved injury and 54 in which property was damaged. Twenty-seven of those accidents were in Metro jurisdiction. A Metro spokesman said the department did not have crash statistics to release today.

Highway Patrol speed violation enforcement operations over 7 1/2 hours during the two-day holiday period resulted in 125 vehicle stops and 135 citations. During those stops, 14 felony arrests and six misdemeanor arrests were made.

Olschlager said the average speed of motorists who were stopped was more than 90 mph.

Driver killed in crash is identified

The identity of a man who died in a crash New Year's morning has been released by the Clark County coroner.

Gonzalo Diaz-Compos, 53, of Las Vegas was killed Wednesday about 10:30 a.m. when he apparently lost control of the Chevrolet Blazer he was driving and ran across the sidewalk along Sahara Avenue near the Interstate 15 overpass.

The Blazer struck a pillar and Diaz-Compos died at the scene, a Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman said.

Investigators are waiting for toxicology results to determine whether alcohol or drug abuse contributed to the crash, but Diaz-Compos was driving well above the posted speed limit, Trooper Jim Olschlager said.

No other cars were involved in the crash.