News briefs for June 30, 2003

Monday, June 30, 2003 | 11:11 a.m.

Two men die in NLV shooting

North Las Vegas Police are investigating a Sunday night shooting that left two men dead.

The shooting occurred about 10:15 p.m. at the Hayden Point complex at 2125 Las Vegas Boulevard North. One of the victims, identified by the Clark County coroner's office as 23-year-old Mathew Carter of Las Vegas, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other, who is also in is 20s, was taken to University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead this morning.

Witnesses told police that before the shooting, several people were outside talking, then an argument started. At least two people pulled out guns and shot the victims, police said.

Anyone with information about the shooting can call North Las Vegas Police at 633-9111 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

LV man killed while jaywalking

A Las Vegas man was killed early Sunday while jaywalking across Flamingo Road east of Maryland Parkway, Metro Police said.

David Miles, 37, of Las Vegas was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, police said.

A witness told police that Miles crossed Flamingo from the north side to reach the south curb. As Miles reached the right eastbound travel lane, a 1992 GMC Suburban moved into the same lane and the driver slammed on the brakes but couldn't stop in time, officers said. Police were still investigating the accident Sunday.

Miles was the 60th traffic death in Metro's jurisdiction for 2003.

Paraglider crashes in Utah mountains

A paraglider pilot from Las Vegas made a wrong turn and crashed into the side of a Utah mountain Saturday.

Allan Thulin, 42, glided into Point of the Mountain. He was flown to University Hospital with severe back pain, Utah County sheriff's Deputy Aaron Zimmer said.

His condition was not available Sunday.

Thulin, who is certified to fly a paraglider but has little experience, accidentally turned into the mountainside instead of away from it after about an hour in the air, Steve Mayer of Cloud 9 Soaring Center in Draper said.

"This pilot was not too familiar with our site. He turned left when he should have turned right," said Mayer, who witnessed the accident.

Nearby pilots rushed to Thulin's aide. A helicopter was called to spare him a bumpy ambulance ride down the mountain with a back injury.

Man dies trying to put out fire

A Las Vegas man died today fighting a fire in his motor home that was sparked by socks drying on a space heater, the Clark County Fire Department said.

A neighbor who pulled the man out of the home suffered second-degree burns, Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said.

The fire began about 9 a.m. at 5740 N. Mustang St., North of Ann Road and east of Torrey Pines Drive, in an island of unincorporated county land that is surrounded by land that is within the city of Las Vegas. Firefighters from seven Las Vegas Fire Department vehicles fought the blaze.

The incident began, Leinbach said, when wet socks drying on a space heater in the motor home caught fire. The man who lived in the motor home parked beside a house grabbed a garden house to battle the flames, Leinbach said.

Leinbach said it was not known what caused the man to die. He said the Clark County Coroner's office will make that determination following an autopsy.

The victim's name was not immediately released.