News briefs for November 11, 2004

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2004 | 9:43 a.m.

U-turning car hits trooper on beltway

A woman driving a sport utility vehicle with a bumper sticker showing support for highway troopers made a U-turn on the Las Vegas Beltway this morning, colliding head-on with a trooper, authorities said.

Shortly after 4 a.m. Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Hugh Shook was heading east on the beltway approaching Interstate 15 when the driver of a white Isuzu Trooper, also traveling east, turned around and started driving west, Trooper Angie Chavera said.

Shook was not able to get out of the way in time, and Patricia Ocejo, 30, of Las Vegas hit Shook's patrol car head-on at a speed of between 20 and 40 mph, Chavera said.

Shook suffered cuts on his legs and he is sore, but he is otherwise fine, she said. He was being treated this morning at University Medical Center.

Ocejo refused medical treatment at the scene and was arrested for suspicion of drunken driving, Chavera said.

Body of woman found in desert

Passersby found the body of a woman about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday while they were walking in the desert just east of the 5200 block of East Craig Road near Nellis Boulevard, Metro Police said.

The woman was in a cluster of bushes and was partially covered with cardboard, Homicide Sgt. Rocky Alby said. Police determined she is 33 years old. Her name is being withheld until next of kin is notified.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 229-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

Corvette crashes into concrete wall

A 25-year-old Las Vegas man was critically injured Wednesday night when he lost control of the Corvette he was driving and crashed into a concrete wall on Buffalo Drive near Desert Inn Road, Metro Police said.

The crash occurred shortly after 11 p.m. Detective Bill Redfairn said the 1990 Corvette, driven by Joshua C. Porter, was heading north on Buffalo and entered the intersection with Desert Inn that caused it to become airborne.

When the car landed it jumped the median, crossed the southbound travel lanes and hit a wall, Redfairn said.