News briefs for January 17, 2005

Monday, Jan. 17, 2005 | 8:47 a.m.

Service held for Las Vegas soldier

Family and friends remembered Army Pfc. Daniel Guastaferro Sunday afternoon during a private service at Palm Mortuary.

Guastaferro, 27, died Jan. 7 in Ramadi, Iraq, along the Euphrates River when his vehicle crashed into a canal.

Guastaferro, a former student at Cimarron-Memorial High School, reported to basic training in 2003. When he died he had spent less than five months in Iraq where he manned a .50-caliber machine gun atop a Humvee, his parents said.

Army officials said the vehicle crashed in a simple traffic accident.

During the service at Palm Mortuary, 7400 W. Cheyenne Ave., Guastaferro's parents, Carol Fabbri and Frank Guastaferro, were presented the Bronze Star on his behalf.

Two charged in separate accidents

Two drivers were arrested and charged with driving under the influence in separate collisions during the weekend, Metro Police said.

Bulmaro Tobon-Hernandez, 31, allegedly was speeding in a 1998 Ford F150 pickup truck on Campbell Drive away from Charleston Boulevard about 3 a.m. Sunday when he drifted off the road and crashed into a gated community guard shack just north of Alta Drive, according to police.

Standing inside the guard shack was 73-year-old Richard Cowan. He was was taken to University Medical Center with serious injuries. Tobon-Hernandez was arrested on charges of felony DUI, police said.

And about 6 a.m. Saturday, 21-year-old Jennifer Schaapveld was driving a 2002 Chevrolet Impala the wrong way down a one-way section of Swenson Street, police allege. She crossed Tropicana Avenue and collided head-on with a 1988 Chevrolet Corisca driven by Jill Asakowicz, 41, according to a police report.

Asakowicz was taken to UMC with moderate injuries. Two passengers, ages 22 and 23, in Schaapveld's car received minor or no injuries, police said. Schaapveld was also uninjured and was arrested on charges of felony DUI, police said.