News briefs for July 12, 2004

Monday, July 12, 2004 | 10:44 a.m.

Three pedestrians killed over weekend

Three pedestrians were struck and killed on Las Vegas Valley highways Saturday and Sunday, the Nevada Highway Patrol said.

The first fatality occurred about 1:40 a.m. Saturday. James Earl Caldwell, 51, of Las Vegas tried to cross Interstate 15 near Tropicana Avenue and was hit by a silver 2002 Acura sedan heading south, Trooper Loy Hixson said.

Caldwell went over the hood and into the windshield then was thrown back onto the highway, where he was hit by at least three other cars. Only the Acura stayed at the scene, Hixson said.

The driver of the Acura and the passenger were hospitalized for minor injuries.

Another pedestrian was killed about 2:50 a.m. Sunday on U.S. 95 at State Route 157, the Mount Charleston turnoff. The victim was hit by a southbound 1994 Chevrolet pickup truck while walking in the highway.

The victim's 2003 Ford pickup truck was found parked nearby on the shoulder of the highway and the keys were in his pocket, Hixson said. His name has not yet been released. The driver and passenger of the Chevy pickup were not injured.

Just over three hours later, while troopers were still investigating that collision, another occurred on northbound U.S. 95 at Boulder Highway.

The pedestrian, a 28-year-old Las Vegas man, was trying to cross the highway about 5 a.m. when he was struck and killed by a green 1997 Ford Taurus station wagon. His name has not yet been released.

The driver was not injured.

Conservation chief, top deputy resign

Nevada conservation chief Mike Turnipseed and his top deputy, Freeman Johnson, resigned under pressure from the Guinn administration Friday following complaints about what Johnson termed his efforts to "establish a camaraderie" with staffers.

Turnipseed, 60, head of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, was praised Friday by Gov. Kenny Guinn in a statement that noted his nearly 20 years as a state water engineer and, for the last four years, as conservation chief and member of Guinn's cabinet, where he earned $109,582.

Turnipseed, who was replaced on an acting basis by Allen Biaggi, state Division of Environmental Protection administrator, wasn't immediately available for comment at his office or at his home.

Johnson, 62, reached at his home, said he was submitting his resignation on Monday following a meeting Friday with Guinn chief of staff Mike Hillerby who said his options were to resign or retire.

"I was caught totally by surprise," said Johnson, one of the few blacks in top positions in state government. He earned about $75,000 a year as assistant conservation director, a post he held for seven years following three years with the state Personnel Department.

"All I can say is that my efforts to be congenial and affable were not universally well received by everybody," Johnson added. "I apparently made some enemies who complained about my management style."

Woman dies in Summerlin crash

A Las Vegas woman died Saturday when the car she was driving hit a tree along Mariner Drive just east of Soft Breezes Drive in the Summerlin area.

Metro Police said the 1998 BMW 528 was going fast on Mariner Drive at 6:50 p.m. when the car went into the wrong lane. The driver, a woman in her early 20s, apparently overcorrected, went back into the correct lane, and then spun off the road and into a tree.

The car caught fire after hitting the tree and the driver, whose name had not released this morning, died in the crash, police said.

Body found in freezer identified

A man found dead inside a freezer July 8 has been identified as 45-year-old Bradley Michael Millisor, the coroner's office said.

His roommate, Lawrence Pruett, 64, was arrested in connection with Millisor's murder. Pruett allegedly told Metro Police that Millisor, described as his "part-time roommate," tried to attack him with a knife July 3.

Pruett told police he feared for his life and shot Millisor with a shotgun, then placed his body in the freezer. He paid friends to bury the body in the desert, but they dumped the freezer with the body inside in Pruett's driveway a few days later, according to the arrest report.

Pruett appeared in Justice Court this morning, where he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.