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DEPUTY-CASH SEIZED
Rural Nevada sheriff defends I-80 drugs stops
WINNEMUCCA, Nev. (AP) — Humboldt County Sheriff Ed Kilgore is defending the practice of stopping suspected drug traffickers on U.S. Interstate 80 and confiscating tens of thousands of dollars even if no criminal charges are filed.
Kilgore sought to assure about 40 citizens at a public meeting in Winnemucca Tuesday night that the stops are legal and not intended to shake down unsuspecting visitors to the rural county 165 miles east of Reno.
One man from Colorado and another from California recently filed federal lawsuits in Reno accusing the same deputy of illegally seizing their money — in one case, a briefcase full of $50,000.
Kilgore said he can't discuss case details, but that civil forfeitures are legal if an arresting officer suspects the individual obtained — or intends to use — the money illegally.
OBIT-JACKIE GAUGHAN
Vegas gambling pioneer Jackie Gaughan dies at 93
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Las Vegas gambling pioneer who once owned much of the downtown casino market has died. John "Jackie" Gaughan was 93.
Clark County coroner's officials say Wednesday that Gaughan died in hospice care.
Gaughan is most closely associated with the El Cortez casino, which he used to own. He lived in a penthouse apartment there and was known to play poker in the casino almost every day.
He has also been associated with the Showboat, the Golden Nugget, the Pioneer and Boulder clubs, the Flamingo and the Royal Inn.
His son, Michael Gaughan, is owner of the South Point Casino.
PUPPIES SAVED-ARSON CHARGES
2 plead not guilty in Vegas puppy shop arson case
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A business owner and co-defendant pleaded not guilty in state court to torching a Las Vegas pet shop where 27 puppies were rescued, and a judge rejected a bid for lower bail.
Despite a lengthy argument by Gloria Lee's attorney, Clark County District Court Judge David Barker kept bail Wednesday at $310,000 for Lee and Kirk Bills.
Attorneys for both say they can't post that amount.
The bail hearing came after Lee and Bills were arraigned on a 31-count indictment charging them with arson, conspiracy and attempted animal cruelty.
Trial is set July 7.
Prosecutors say the two were videotaped trying to torch the store early Jan. 27 for the insurance money.
Sprinklers doused flames and firefighters rescued the animals.
The puppies are now the focus of an ownership fight.
CATTLE TRUCK CRASH
NHP: cattle truck driver ran red light
MINDEN, Nev. (AP) — The Nevada Highway Patrol says the driver of a cattle truck was cited for running a red light after a crash in Minden that killed 25 cows.
The accident happened Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Highway 88 and Waterloo Lane in Douglas County.
Sixty-six cows were on the truck driven by 25-year-old Grant Terpstra of Stockton, Calif. Troopers say Terpstra failed to stop at a red light and crashed into a Subaru driven by 61-year-old George Jaqua of Stateline.
Jaqua was flown to a Reno hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Surviving cows were secured in a nearby pasture. The cattle were being transported from Yerington to Escalon, Calif.
The truck knocked out a power line, cutting service to more than 2,000 NV Energy customers for about two hours.
TODDLER DROWNING-MOTHER CHARGED
Lawyer: Mom to plead insanity in toddler drowning
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A defense attorney says a mother accused of drowning her 3-year-old son in a bathtub will probably plead not guilty by reason of insanity to a murder charge.
Andrea Luem, a Clark County public defender, said Wednesday she plans to seek a psychiatric evaluation for 30-year-old Christine Tracy Allen before a June 17 preliminary hearing.
Allen's son, Noah Lane Allen, was pronounced dead after the mom summoned police about 6:30 p.m. Saturday to their northwest Las Vegas apartment.
Allen told police that a demon inside of her took over and she pushed the child's head under the water until he stopped struggling.
Police said Allen told them she was depressed about her divorce from the boy's father, and that the boy was better off with God.
DEADLY FIRE-CLARK COUNTY
1 person found dead in burning Clark Co. apartment
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Authorities say one person was found dead inside a burning apartment southwest of downtown Las Vegas.
Clark County firefighters say they were called to the Spring Valley Highlands 2 apartment complex on Edmond Street about 3 a.m. Wednesday. The caller told dispatchers the person who lived in the burning apartment was ill and not answering the door.
Crews who responded say they found a male victim dead inside.
Nearby apartments were evacuated, but nobody else was injured in the fire.
Damage is estimated at $30,000.
Information about the cause of the fire hasn't been released.
FATAL CRASH-OPEN DOOR
Vegas woman dies after opening door of moving SUV
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Authorities say a 30-year-old woman is dead after she opened the door of a moving vehicle in Las Vegas.
Police say the crash happened about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday on Torrey Pines Drive, north of West Copperfield Avenue.
Officials say the woman who died was sitting in the second row of seats in a GMC Yukon when she opened the door. Police say the woman who was driving was distracted by the door and veered off to the right side of the road.
The SUV hit a light pole and the passenger was ejected.
She was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name has not yet been released.
The 30-year-old driver was not injured in the crash.
WIFE SLAIN-VEGAS CHEF
Arraignment delay in Vegas chef wife slaying case
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Arraignment is due to be postponed for a former chef who told police he stabbed his wife to death with knives and a cleaver in their Las Vegas kitchen.
Richard Magdayo Dahan's defense lawyer and the prosecutor in the case say they'll seek a different date Wednesday before a trial judge where Dahan can enters his plea in the Jan. 10 slaying of 28-year-old Daisy Casalta Dahan.
Deputy Clark County Public Defender Ed Kane and Prosecutor Richard Scow said a panel of prosecutors is still due to determine if Dahan will face the death penalty.
The 40-year-old Dahan walked into a police station shortly after the slaying and told detectives he killed his wife because she wanted a divorce.
He said they married just two years earlier in the Philippines.
SHARPER-ARIZONA CHARGES
Sharper charged with sexual assault in Arizona
PHOENIX (AP) — Police say former NFL All-Pro safety Darren Sharper has been indicted in Arizona on charges of sexual assault and administering dangerous drugs.
The Tempe Police Department said Wednesday that a grand jury had indicted Sharper in sexual assaults committed on Nov. 21 in Tempe.
No other details on the charges were released.
It was the latest development in several ongoing sexual assault investigations involving the 38-year-old Sharper in Arizona, Louisiana, California, Florida and Nevada. He is in custody in the California case.
The Arizona indictment hasn't yet been publicly released. A call to the county prosecutor's office wasn't immediately returned.
It's not known whether Sharper has a lawyer in Arizona.
Police reports released earlier said two women believed they were sexually assaulted by Sharper at a Tempe apartment.
One woman told police she suspected she had been drugged before she was attacked.
TOO-TALL METERS
Reno to lower meters too tall for short people
(Information in the following story is from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com)
RENO, Nev. (AP) — The city of Reno is dispatching crews to lower new parking meters that are too tall for short people.
It's the latest setback in the Biggest Little City's parking meter woes that cost city coffers $600,000 in lost parking ticket revenue when new kiosks didn't work properly.
The Reno Gazette-Journal reports that the city this month installed new "smart meters" that accept both credit cards and coins at an expense of $391,000.
There's just one problem. People shorter than 5-feet tall can't see the screens that show how much time they've purchased.
And it turns out the meters don't comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Public works officials say crews will cut off a few inches from the pipes on which the meters are secured.
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