News briefs for July 1, 2005

Friday, July 1, 2005 | 9:55 a.m.

Man dead after SUV crash

A 57-year-old North Las Vegas man was pronounced dead after he drove his 2003 Ford Explorer into an unoccupied truck in a parking lot on West Cheyenne Avenue just west of Lamb Boulevard about 10:30 p.m. Thursday.

The coroner's office identified the driver as Larry Green.

Police reported the Explorer was driving westbound on Cheyenne Avenue and had just crossed Lamb Boulevard. The SUV veered to the right and drove into the parking lot where it hit a parked 2000 Dodge Dakota on the car's right side.

Medical personnel pronounced the driver dead when they arrived on the scene. It is possible that Green suffered a heart attack prior to the crash, Metro Police said.

Pedestrian injured

A 19-year-old driver hit a pedestrian about 9:15 p.m. Thursday on Tropicana Avenue west of Jeffreys Street, police said.

The pedestrian, whose name, age and gender were not released, was transported to Sunrise Trauma Center with serious injuries.

The driver, Karla O'Toole, honked her horn and tried to avoid hitting the pedestrian with her 1999 Mercury Cougar, police said.

Because the pedestrian was not in a marked crosswalk, the cause of the collision appears to have been pedestrian error, police said.

Special court may deal with homeless

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said he met last week with representatives from law enforcement and the city courts to discuss the possibility of creating a special court to deal with the homeless.

Homeless people who get arrested would be put through such a court where they would have the choice of entering into a service program or going to jail, the mayor said.

Goodman, whose comments came during his regular Thursday press conference, emphasized that at this time any talk of creating a new court is very preliminary.

"This is just the beginning stages of a discussion," he said.

Student's shooting likely an accident

After a nearly monthlong investigation, Metro Police have determined that the gunshot that injured a Shadow Ridge football player during practice June 3 most likely came from an errant target shooter north of the school.

DeMario Ewell, a junior, suffered a gunshot wound in the chest but the injury was not life-threatening, police said.

Directly north and east of the school, located in northwest Las Vegas, are undeveloped desert areas that are frequented by target shooters, police said.

After a review of the evidence and witness statements, police said they could find nothing to indicate that any member of the football team or coaching staff were targets.

No one has been arrested in connection with the shooting.

Shooting victim ID'd

A man who was shot and killed Wednesday morning at an apartment complex on Twain Avenue near Swenson Street has been identified as Gregg A. Escamilla, 36, of Las Vegas.

No arrests have been made, police said.

Gun buyer indicted

A federal grand jury indicted a man on Tuesday for allegedly making false statements when he bought 69 guns from a pawnshop in Pahrump over a two-year period.

The grand jury indicted Cullen Clutterham of making false statements in the acquisition of firearms when he told the Emmalees Pawn and Emporium that he lived in Henderson, according to the indictment.

He was not a resident of Nevada when he purchased the firearms, the indictment stated.

Mall fire was small

The Clark County Fire Department extinguished a small fire on the roof of a strip mall complex at 560 N. Nellis Boulevard on Thursday.

The fire started from an electrical short in a roof facade that was under construction, fire Capt. Steve Hetterscheidt said. He said the fire was small and extinguished in five minutes.

Federal protection for horses sought

CARSON CITY -- Wild horse advocates, pushing for full federal protection of the animals, say recent legislation designed to help mustangs likely would do more harm than good.

"The measure sounds as if it's going to help wild horses. Unfortunately, it would do just the opposite," said Bonnie Matton of Dayton as she and about 30 other members of the Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates held a rally here Wednesday.