News briefs for Jan. 6, 2003

Monday, Jan. 6, 2003 | 10:58 a.m.

Pedestrian killed on highway

A 55-year-old man was killed when he was struck by a car while crossing Boulder Highway Sunday night, Metro Police said.

About 9:25 p.m., the man was crossing from the west curb to the east curb in a crosswalk near Kentucky Street. A 1997 Mercury driven by 73-year-old Mary Rocco of Las Vegas was southbound in the left lane of Boulder Highway and struck the man, police said.

Police said Rocco apparently failed to yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian, but no citations had been issued late Sunday pending additional investigation.

The man was the fifth person to die in a traffic accident this year in Metro's jurisdiction, police said.

3-vehicle crash claims man's life

A man from Rosamond, Calif., was killed in a three-vehicle crash on Tropicana Avenue east of Koval Lane about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Metro Police said.

Myron Nelson Warr, 40, apparently lost control of his 1990 Toyota pickup while westbound on Tropicana, police said. Warr was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The Toyota crossed the median and struck an eastbound 2001 Dodge pickup truck. The driver of the Dodge, David Johnson, 33, of Las Vegas, suffered " moderate injuries," police said.

Alcohol may have been a factor in the collision, police said.

The crash also involved a 2002 Yamaha motorcycle, and its driver, 25-year-old Marc Zuckerman, suffered minor injuries.

Man's body found in burning car

Metro Police and Las Vegas Fire and Rescue are investigating the discovery of a charred body behind the steering wheel of a burning car near Sahara Avenue and Arville Street.

Several callers notified authorities of a fire at in the 4200 block of San Bernardino Avenue about 2 a.m. Saturday.

When firefighters arrived they found a car ablaze in the back yard of a one-story concrete block house, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said. The fire was extinguished and there was no damage to the house.

The burned man in the car had not been identified Sunday and the cause of the fire had not been determined, officials said.

"We're still waiting for toxicology reports, but it doesn't look like there is any foul play," Metro Sgt. Kevin Manning said.

Stop DUI chief to national panel

Stop DUI Executive Director Sandy Heverly has been elected to serve as a director on the National Commission Against Drunk Driving Board.

Heverly was elected to a three-year term at the board's meeting in Washington on Dec. 5.

The national board is the private sector successor to the Presidential Commission on Drunk Driving appointed by President Ronald Reagan to develop strategy and recommendations to combat the nationwide problem of impaired drivers.