News briefs for March 8, 2004

Monday, March 8, 2004 | 11:18 a.m.

Eighth grader wins state spelling title

RENO -- A Churchill County eighth grader correctly spelled the word "ichthyology" to win the competition to be Nevada's top speller.

Shankari Rajagopal defeated a field of 42 other students to capture the State Spelling Bee on Saturday at the University of Nevada, Reno.

She spelled ichthyology -- a branch of zoology that deals with fish -- after runnerup Paulina Haduong of Clark County incorrectly spelled "numismatics," the study or collection of coins and paper money.

Rajagopal correctly spelled more than 30 words to advance to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in June in Washington, D.C.

Each of Nevada's 17 counties was allowed to enter as many as three students in the state competition. All but Nye County participated.

Other finalists in order of finish were Chelsea Gould, a Lyon County seventh grader; Kevyn Lee, Clark County sixth grader; Jared Lupton, Carson City seventh grader; and Joseph Echegaray, White Pine eighth grader.

Other finalists were Andy Wei, Washoe County sixth grader; Rachel Lindgren, Carson City seventh grader; Bonnie Slocum, Douglas County sixth grader; and Mariah Gramolini, Lyon County sixth grader.

Vegas woman charged with fraud

A Las Vegas woman and a San Diego man have been named in a federal indictment charging them with running a securities fraud scheme involving a corporation that touted it had developed a process to extract gold from volcanic ore.

Diana Lee Flaherty, 55, and Michael Gardiner, 45, were both charged with conspiracy and securities fraud last week when the indictment against them was unsealed.

The indictment alleges the pair used a Nevada corporation, Phoenix Metals USA II Inc., to fraudulently promote and sell stock for that company.

Federal officials estimate that numerous Nevada residents fell victim to the alleged scheme, and any individuals who believe they may have been victims are asked to contact FBI Special Agent David Nanz at (702) 385-1281.

Pedestrian struck by motorcycle

A Las Vegas man was in serious condition after he was struck by a motorcycle at Flamingo Road and Sheppard Street Saturday.

Witnesses told police that a 1998 Suzuki GSXR 1000, driven by 24-year-old Steven Barfield of Las Vegas, was traveling westbound in the right travel lane of Flamingo Road when it struck a pedestrian, 51-year-old William McKee, who was attempting to cross the road outside a marked crosswalk.

Barfield was ejected from the motorcycle and sustained moderate injuries, while McKee suffered serious injuries, police said.

Both were transported to University Medical Center for treatment, police said.

The cause of the collision appears to be due to jaywalking, police said.

Alcohol might have been a contributing factor on the part of the pedestrian, police said.

Man killed while working on vehicle

A California man was killed Sunday afternoon when he was struck by his own vehicle while trying to disconnect the drive shaft.

Witnesses told police Dennis Marchand, 55, of Fair Oaks, Calif., backed a 1996 Chevrolet Blazer onto a raised concrete curb about 3:50 p.m. in the 4100 block of West Charleston Boulevard.

The Blazer was left in neutral and without the parking brake set, police said.

As Marchand worked on the vehicle, it rolled back six feet, coming to rest on top of the man, police said.

Marchand was pronounced dead at the scene.

Teen arrested for making threats

A 13-year-old middle school student was arrested after making angry 911 calls in which he told dispatchers he was going to kill everyone on campus, authorities said.

The boy, whom police did not identify because of his age, was arrested Thursday night. Police said he placed the calls after he was disciplined at Fremont Middle School and was told he could not return to school until his parents met with school administrators.

"I'm going to create another Columbine. I'm going to kill as many people as possible. I'm mad," the teen told a 911 operator, according to police.

Fifteen people were killed at Columbine High School in Colorado when two students went on a shooting rampage in 1999.

The unidentified 13-year-old was being held Friday at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center on four counts of making terrorist threats.

The campus of Fremont Middle School was closed Thursday because of the threats, and its 1,400 students were kept indoors.

Court upholds murder conviction

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court has upheld the first-degree murder conviction of Ronald Mulder, who struck a homeless man on the head with a bottle of liquor and then set him on fire in May 2001 in Las Vegas.

The court Friday rejected claims by Mulder that his trial counsel was ineffective for allowing him to plead guilty to first-degree murder instead of involuntary manslaughter. He claimed he was drunk at the time the victim was killed.

Mulder, now 47, was homeless at the time. He received a term of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years for the slaying of Charles Whittaker, 51.

Drug czar to visit LV

The White House's drug czar will be in Las Vegas Thursday to discuss the current rise of prescription drug abuse and Nevada's efforts to combat the problem.

John P. Walters, director of the National Drug Control Policy, will discuss Nevada's Prescription Monitoring program at a press conference Thursday at WestCare Women's and Children's Campus.

The program is trying to help curb the practice of "doctor shopping" and get treatment for prescription drug abusers.

There were 2.7 million prescriptions for controlled substances for 2.2 million residents in 2002, according to the Nevada Board of Pharmacy. In Las Vegas, narcotic pain killers were connected to 153 deaths, up from 63 in 1997.

The conference is only open to credentialed media.

Man killed trying to run across I-15

A man who was trying to run across Interstate 15 just north of Tropicana Avenue was struck and killed this morning, the Nevada Highway Patrol said.

The accident occurred shortly after midnight. A man, whose name had not yet been released this morning, was hit by at least three vehicles and pronounced dead at the scene.

None of the drivers was injured and troopers don't expect any to face charges.

Man dies from gunshot wound

A 29-year-old Las Vegas man died Friday night after he was shot outside a bar on East Charleston Boulevard near Pecos Road, Metro Police said.

Officers were called to Barley Pops at 3328 Charleston about 9:30 p.m. Friday reporting gunfire in the bar parking lot. Police discovered the victim with a gunshot wound. He was taken to University Medical Center where he died.

He was identified by the Clark County coroner's office as Ramiro Martinez-Magana.

Police learned that the victim met with several men and walked to the suspect's vehicle, a red, two-door, mid-size sport utility vehicle. The suspects fled after the shooting. One of them ran from the scene; the others drove away in the vehicle.

Police believe the shooting may be drug-related.

Anyone with information about the shooting can call the Metro homicide section at 229-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.