News briefs for Jan. 30, 2004

Friday, Jan. 30, 2004 | 11:06 a.m.

Gold Strike Canyon access closed

The National Park Service has temporarily closed all land access to the Gold Strike Canyon area off U.S. 93, which leads to the Nevada Hot Springs. The closure will remain in effect until Dec. 31.

The area will be closed to motor vehicle travel, hiking and other recreational uses because of construction activities for the Hoover Dam Bypass Project.

Water-based activities and access from Black Canyon to the hot spring site are not affected by the closure.

New signs including the message "Danger -- Blasting Area," were to be installed today at the area just off U.S. 93 at mile marker 1.5.

Man wants to withdraw plea

A sentencing hearing for a man who pleaded guilty in the killing of a Las Vegas father as he helped his daughter put her bike away was postponed Thursday because the man wants to back out of his plea deal.

Omar Robles, 23, was scheduled to be sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison during a hearing before District Judge John McGroarty, but Robles said he wanted to withdraw his guilty plea and proceed to trial.

McGroarty will determine whether he will allow Robles to withdraw the plea during a hearing scheduled for March 4.

Robles in November pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder in the death of 39-year-old Nazario Rios-Olivera. He accepted the deal moments before jury selection was to begin in his trial.

Robles also pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon for shooting Ricardo Barragan in the leg.

Authorities say Robles was trying to shoot Barragan when he opened fire in an alley in the 1300 block of North 13th Street. Rios-Olivera was caught in the crossfire as he shielded his daughter from the bullets.

Supreme Court rejects appeal

The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of Fredrick J. Benson, who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the shooting of Henry Zegler of Henderson in a parking lot outside Ernie's bar, 1900 North Rancho Drive, in February 2000.

Benson pleaded guilty in exchange for the state agreeing not to seek the death penalty if the case went to trial. But then he sought to withdraw his guilty plea.

He maintained that he did not have the opportunity to fully discuss the ramifications of his guilty plea with his lawyer and that he was misinformed by his attorney regarding his right to appeal.

The Supreme Court said Wednesday that Benson, when questioned by the District Court about his guilty plea, acknowledged he understood the charge against him, the plea agreement and the rights he was waiving. He said at that time that he was pleading guilty of his own free will.

Symposium planned on insurance rates

Anyone who wants to learn more about how insurance companies set rates for auto and home coverage can attend a public symposium Feb. 10 to be video-conferenced between Carson City and Las Vegas.

State Insurance Commissioner Alice Molasky-Arman said Thursday she will conduct the session to gather information about the collection and use of loss reports by the insurance industry.

Representatives from insurance companies will make presentations.

Molasky-Arman said consumers may not be aware that the previous loss history of a property they may purchase can potentially affect the cost of their insurance. They may be charged a higher rate or even denied coverage because of claims filed by the previous owner, the commissioner said.

The session will be in room 4401 of the Sawyer State Office Building, 555 E. Washington Ave.

Task force helps identify victims

A cold-case task force and website aimed at identifying the Jane and John Does who have come into the county morgue is succeeding in some cases, Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy said today.

Murphy said the effort has led to identification of 14 people out of 182 since it began last November.

"In just three months, we have been able to notify the next of kin of more than a dozen families and bring them some peace and closure," Murphy said. "We're very humbled by the fact and grateful to the community for its help."

The Cold Case Unit task force is comprised of two components, a website which features the faces of unidentified deceased and a group of coroner investigators who work with law enforcement officials and the public to get more information about the unidentified.

So far, two cases have been solved as a result of the website.