News briefs for July 19, 2005

Tuesday, July 19, 2005 | 10:59 a.m.

Woman killed in head-on crash

A 32-year-old Las Vegas woman was killed Monday morning when she collided head-on with another vehicle on Durango Road near Russell Road, Metro Police said.

Jennifer Nilson was heading south on Durango about 9:45 a.m. when her 2003 Honda CRV drifted into the northbound lane, police said. Nilson's car collided with a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier driven by Camille Thigphen, 62, of Las Vegas.

Nilson was pronounced dead at University Medical Center shortly after she arrived. Thigphen suffered moderate injuries, police said.

Firefighter hurt in blaze

A mobile home was destroyed and a firefighter was hospitalized early Monday morning because of a fire near Rainbow Boulevard and Alexander Road.

A neighbor reported a fire at 6649 Delphinium Ave. at 1 a.m. Monday. The fire was extinguished in about 40 minutes, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said. A firefighter sustained moderate burns.

Two pet birds were died in the fire. The fire did an estimated $20,000 in damage.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation this morning.

Motorcyclist dies in wreck

A 38-year-old motorcyclist died Monday after colliding with a tractor-trailer hauling a backhoe in North Las Vegas.

Stephen Uyehara was southbound on Losee Road on a 2002 Kawasaki about 2:40 p.m. when the tractor-trailer turned left onto Miller Avenue into the path of the motorcycle, police said.

Uyehara braked and slid 144 feet before colliding with the rear of the tractor-trailer, police reported. He was taken to University Medical Center but died a few hours later.

Man suspected of rape arrested

A 25-year-old man suspected of breaking into a woman's home and raping her on July 10 was arrested Monday.

Police had issued a warrant for the arrest of Wayne Robert Nelson, who lived in the area of Charleston and Palm Street, near the victim, police said.

Nelson was taken into custody Monday afternoon on four charges of sexual assault of an older person and one count of burglary and booked into the Clark County Detention Center, where he remained this morning.