Williams pays fine

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003 | 11:15 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Wendell Williams, D-North Las Vegas, has paid $600 to settle a traffic fine, and a warrant issued July 30 for his arrest has been canceled, officials said this morning.

But while Williams belatedly took care of that financial obligation, he let another one slip. The secretary of state's office said this morning that Williams failed to make his $100 monthly payment toward retiring a $15,000 fine for violations of campaign finance reporting.

Chief Deputy Secretary of State Renee Parker said Williams was due to make the $100 payment Sept. 1 but it had not been received by Tuesday. She said she would contact Williams to remind him of the due date.

Earlier this year Williams agreed to a schedule to pay off the $15,000 fine imposed for failing to file campaign reports or being late in submitting them to the secretary of state's office in the 2000 election.

To avoid being sued in a civil action, Williams agreed to a schedule to pay off the fine, which will extend to 2016. He made the first three payments on time, officials said.

In the traffic case, records in Justice Court in Reno showed today that Williams used Western Union to pay $500 on an aggressive driving charge and $100 for his failure to show up in court.

A complaint against Williams was made by Kenneth Stover, who said he observed a blue-gray BMW Z-4 traveling at more than 110 mph between Reno and Carson City. He said the car, which had the license plate of "Assemblyman 5," was forcing vehicles into the right lane.

Williams sent in the money for the traffic fines on Sept. 19, the same day that the Sun published a story about the warrant and the past problems Williams has had with driving violations.

Williams could not be reached for comment Tuesday or today.