News briefs for Jan. 14, 2004

Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2004 | 10:52 a.m.

Phony repairman robs employees

Metro Police detectives are investigating a series of thefts over the past several months in which a thief, posing as a repairman at businesses, steals from employees.

Police know of at least four incidents in which the man enters the business claiming to be sent by the management to check for leaks, electrical problems or to service the air-conditioning, Lt. Larry Spinosa said. He then makes his way to the back offices and steals employees' purses and other items.

The thief is described as a white man, 50 to 55 years old, between 5-feet-9 and 6 feet tall and about 220 pounds. He has short dark hair and is well-dressed.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Metro property crimes section at 229-3573 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

Teens injured as two pickups collide

Two teenagers riding in a pickup truck bed were seriously injured Tuesday night after the truck collided with another vehicle as the driver fled from police at Lake Mead Boulevard and Shatz Street, Metro Police said.

Metro responded to a report of an attempted burglary shortly before 8 p.m. and spotted the suspect's vehicle, a Ford F-150 pickup truck, leaving the store parking lot.

Police tried to stop the truck, but the driver, Augustin Vaquero, 18, of Las Vegas turned his headlights off and sped into a residential area, Detective Doug Nutton said.

Officers spotted the truck moments later heading south on Shatz Street. Police said Vaquero went through a stop sign at Lake Mead Boulevard and collided with a Nissan pickup truck driven by Jose Gonzalez, 34, of Las Vegas.

After the impact, Vaquero's truck kept going south, jumped the curb and drove along the sidewalk, hit a no-parking sign and some landscaping rocks before flipping onto its roof.

Four teenagers who were in the truck bed were thrown onto the ground, Nutton said. Two 16-year-olds were taken to University Medical Center to be treated for serious injuries. Three others were treated for minor injuries at the scene. Vaquero and Gonzalez both suffered minor injuries.

Vaquero was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit burglary, felony evading a police officer, felony reckless driving and felony hit and run, Nutton said.

Drinking suspected in freeway collision

Two people may be facing charges of driving under the influence after a woman going the wrong way on U.S. 95 on Tuesday night collided head-on with another vehicle.

The crash occurred about 10:50 p.m. at Lake Mead Parkway in Henderson. Trooper Angie Wolff said a woman driving south in the northbound lanes of U.S. 95 hit a green sport utility vehicle.

The woman, who was carrying a fake driver's license, and the male driver of the SUV are both suspected of driving under the influence. Both were taken to University Medical Center. The woman suffered serious injuries and the man suffered critical injuries.

Two passengers in the SUV were also hospitalized.

Goldwater draws Assembly opponent

Las Vegas businessman Rex Wilhoite announced he is challenging five-term Assemblyman David Goldwater and will make the $833 million tax package passed in the 2003 Legislature a key issue.

Wilhoite, 59, a Republican, is challenging five-termer David Goldwater, a Democrat, who says he will seek re-election.

Republican Wilhoite, 59, said he was upset with the tax package and he met with Assemblyman Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas several times. He said Beers encouraged him to run for the seat and "I decided to throw my hat in the ring."

Wilhoite held elective office in Detroit on the local board of education in the mid-1980s in his only other run for public office.

Goldwater, a Democrat, said, "It's not a surprise. Everybody knew that a vote for taxes will draw this kind of opponent." A large part of the taxes funded educational services.

Wilhoite owns Air Filter Sales & Service. He said if the Legislature would have passed the gross receipts tax, as advocated by Gov. Kenny Guinn, it would have put many small contractors out of business in Southern Nevada.

Assembly District 10 has 7,879 Democrats, 6,582 Republicans and 3,134 Independents.