News briefs for June 8, 2005

Wednesday, June 8, 2005 | 11:15 a.m.

Woman, 81, is attacked at home

An 81-year-old woman returning from a doctor's appointment was beaten and robbed after she pulled into her garage about 4 p.m. Monday near West Charleston Boulevard and Campbell Drive, Metro Police said.

Police are searching for a man in his 30s and a woman in her late 20s.

The man approached the senior citizen and identified himself as an employee of the Las Vegas Valley Water District. He said a neighbor was having a water problem and he needed to check the pressure and acid levels of the woman's household water.

The man followed the woman into her house and told her to remove her jewelry and place it into a cup of warm water.

A woman police believe accompanied the man appeared at the door and the two began walking through the house, police said.

The homeowner became suspicious and put her diamond ring back on her finger and walked to the rear of the house. She told the man and woman to leave until she checked with her neighbors, police said.

The man saw the diamond ring back on the woman's finger and demanded the ring. The woman refused and a struggle began.

The man punched the woman in the jaw and she fell into the foyer of the house. The man then tried to remove the ring. The woman was either punched or kicked in the chest by the man as they struggled, police said.

The man got on top of the woman, trying to pull the ring off her finger, police said. Fearing for her safety, the woman removed the ring.

The man called himself "Kawalski" and wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans. The woman with him was called "Carmela," and wore a long printed skirt with multi-colored shirt, police said.

The woman who was robbed said she was knocked out for a brief time. The couple may have fled the house in a tan or beige vehicle in an unknown direction, police said.

Any other victims or anyone with information about this robbery is asked to contact Metro Detective T.L. Miller at 229-5654.

Child is ejected during collision

A 5-year-old child was in critical condition Tuesday night after being ejected from a van during a collision at Tropicana and Titanium avenues, Metro Police Said.

The 34-year-old driver of the Mazda van, Claudia Avila of Las Vegas, was turning from Tropicana onto Titanium, northeast of U.S. 95, about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday when she drove into the path of a 2003 Ford Expedition, police said.

In the crash, the child, whom police did not identify, was thrown out of the Mazda and was taken to Sunrise Hospital Trauma Center, police said.

Avila was not injured.

The Ford's driver, 32-year-old Veronica Quezada of Las Vegas, had minor injuries, police said.