Archive for August, 2008
 
Las Vegas Reacts to Plane Crashing in His Home
Friday, August 29th, 2008

This is the second time NTSB investigators have come to Las Vegas in less than a week. The latest plane crashed on Jones near Cheyenne. Reporter Edward Lawrence who has reaction from the family who lives in the home and the NTSB.

NTSB investigators have been out there all day. They are searching the house for clues. The main part of the plane hit that car in the driveway between the homes and slid partially under the house. It will be dug out by a backhoe Saturday.

Five people were inside at the time of the crash. One of them described for us what he heard and saw.

SLIDESHOW: Plane Crashes Into Neighborhood

Miguel Castillo had a front row seat to the deadly plane crash. He was in the backyard preparing for a barbecue.

“I listen. The crash – bam-bam-bam-bam. I said what happened? My face move to see what happened,” said Castillo.

Looking around the side of the house, the fire started to spread.

“I feel the hot. Very hot in my face,” he said.

His thoughts turned to his family – his 3-year-old son, 14-year-old daughter, wife – 7 months pregnant and a 72-year old family friend were inside the home that caught fire.

“My family is first. Every time the family is first. I feel the fire, and I go inside and I say take the kids and go outside – right now.

Luckily, they were on the other side of the house from the crash. Still, the concern spread as fast as the flames.

“I see the explosion. I see the explosion and fire in my face. I say, 'Oh my God.' Inside I scream – hey, take the kids and go outside right now. I take my little kids and go and run here,” said Castillo.

Coming out the front door, Castillo's quick action may have saved lives. “In the middle of the house, outside is a second explosion. On my back. Boom. Wow. I run over there,” he said.

The plane crashed at 2:35 in the afternoon — two hours later and 30 more people would have been in the home. Thursday is bible study for Castillo, his pastor and his new congregation. It's a tight group. Norman Sigui was Castillo's first call.

“We prayed. The first thing we did pray. We get into my car to have something, what can I say – silence,” said Sigui.

He helped the family calm down, gave them new T-shirts and reminded them that their belongings may be gone, but they are still here to rebuild.

Castillo's wife went to the hospital for observation. She had some smoke inhalation, but her and her baby will be fine.

The pilot died on impact. Eyewitness News has confirmed his name was William J. Leahy Jr.

Friday afternoon, NTSB investigator Wayne Pollack told us the plane hit trees, the power lines, then the house and car — but does not know the why the plane crashed.

“We do know there was an inflight emergency that forced the pilot to communicate with air traffic control that he needed to immediately return for landing. The accident occurred during that process. Whether engine problem, an airframe problem – we do not know,” said Wayne Pollack, NTSB investigator.

The NTSB confirms Leahy was on a ferry flight. In North Las Vegas, they removed all seats from his plane and installed extra fuel tanks. The plane was headed to Palo Alto to fuel up those extra tanks and was then heading to Korea. 

The parts of the twin engine plane will be taken to a hanger and examined for those clues. A final report on a cause will take several months.


 
Plane Crashes Into Neighborhood Near NLV Airport
Friday, August 29th, 2008


A twin engine Piper Navajo crashed and burst into flames between two houses on Jones, just south of Cheyenne. The pilot, and sole occupant of the plane, was killed.

SLIDESHOW: Plane Crashes Into Home

The plane took off from the North Las Vegas airport around 2:30 p.m. heading for Palo Alto, California. Shortly after departing, the pilot reported he was experiencing a rough running engine and requested to return to the North Las Vegas Airport. At least two people reported they could see flames coming from the aircraft.

It crashed about a half mile short of Runway Seven.

The plane clipped power lines causing a major outage in the area before hitting an empty car and crashing into a wall between two homes. Fuel from the plane igniting one of those houses, said Tim Szymanski with the Las Vegas Fire Department.

Did you take photos of the crash? Upload your photos.

Three adults and two children were in the house where the plane crashed. They ran out the front door and were able to escape danger. One suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to UMC.

Six adults and six children have been displaced by the crash. The American Red Cross is assisting. No one on the ground was injured.

The plane flew over a construction crew working on the Jones Blvd. A water truck used by the construction crew was parked in front of the house where the plane crashed. One of the workers started shooting water onto the flames immediately.

There were 900 homes in the area without power and police and fire officials shut down the area to drivers while they worked to clean up the accident.

The Piper Navajo is registered to a Gardena, California based company. Airport officials say the plane underwent mechanical work at North Las Vegas. It was built in 1981.

Eyewitnesses report the plane was having obvious problems. Several say they saw fire and smoke coming from the plane before it crashed.

FAA inspectors responded to the scene. The FAA and the NTSB will investigate the crash.

This is the second plane from North Las Vegas Airport to crash into a house in the past week. 80-year-old Jack Costa, 76-year-old Lucy Costa and pilot 76-year-old Mack Murphree, Junior, all died when an experiment plane slammed into a home near the airport.


 
Neighborhood News: Summerlin Centre Delayed
Tuesday, August 26th, 2008


Originally set to open in 2009, the Summerlin Centre project opening has been delayed and is now projected to open in 2010.

Construction on the project has not stopped; it is just taking longer than anticipated according to Howard Hughes Corporation Senior Vice President Tom Warden.  He said that two steel floors have gone up since the announcement was made that construction was delayed, and the property looks different every day.

The opening was delayed so that instead of opening one phase of retailers next year, almost all of the stores will be opened at once.

“It makes a grand opening even grander,” explained Warden.

Summerlin Centre is located northeast of the intersection of the 215 beltway and Sahara.

General Growth Properties is building the 100-acre community hub will include shopping, dining and office space as well as a hotel and residences.


 
Neighbors Seek Federal Injunction Against Gun Park
Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

The battle over a shooting park in the northern part of the Las Vegas valley has now moved to federal court.

A group of residents is calling the gun park a “Disneyland with guns” and the county is not commenting on this latest filing. The shooting park is located between Buffalo and Decatur at the far northern end of the valley.

“It's peaceful, quiet, beautiful view of the mountains, kids playing in the streets.” This is how neighbors who live in the northwest part of the valley describe their neighborhood. But they say this will all change because of a gun park that's being built near their homes.

On Monday neighbors walked from their attorney's office to the Lloyd George Federal Court building where their lawyer filed the paperwork on their behalf.

“All complaints are efiled and then there will also be a motion seeking a hearing for an injunction. An injunction would simply say let's stop and reconsider the environmental concerns, the nature of the use, the volume to people that will be traveling there every day,” said Matthew Callister, attorney.

Tyson Wrensch lives in a neighborhood and says he wants the park moved, but also asks that the county change the way it discloses major projects like this.

“The builders in that area are still not showing a shooting range near these homes. Why hasn't the county stepped in. I had to sign a disclosure for Aliante casino which hasn't been built yet, and that's five miles away,” Wrensch said.

Lorraine Lennard also lives in the neighborhood and says the county has compared the noise level to a barking dog or a helicopter.

Imagine listening to a barking dog, or a helicopter or constant repetition of gun fire for twelve hours a day, it's enough to drive a women crazy,” she said.

Neighbors say the county notified them that the 750-foot radius for a project is larger than McCarran International Airport and six times larger than Disneyland. The county says they can not talk about pending litigation.


 
2 Die in 2 Vehicle Crashes Within 12 Hours
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008


A red-light runner is dead after crashing his motorcycle into a small car Tuesday morning. It happened at Durango and Peace Way.

Detectives say the motorcyclist was going southbound on Durango when he ran a red light and slammed into a Toyota Corolla that was turning onto Durango.

The motorcyclist died at the scene.

Across the valley, police say a drunk driver caused another deadly car crash. This accident happened around 11 p.m. Monday at Boulder Highway and Flamingo.

Police say the driver of a SUV rear-ended a Hyundai, killing the driver.


 
2 Men Shot in Possible Domestic Violence Situation
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008

Two people are recovering after a shooting during an argument. It happened in a home near Buffalo and Grand Teton at about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Metro says the two men, who were in their 20's, were roommates. They each shot the other multiple times.

Both were rushed to UMC. Their wounds were said to be non-life threatening.

Metro is considering this to be a domestic violence situation.


 
County Commission Agrees to Open 215 Interchange
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008


Clark County Commission members gave the green light to open the Lake Mead interchange in the Summerlin area, even though it was not scheduled to open until 2010.

County Commissioners Chip Maxfield and Susan Brager asked to have an earlier opening considered after receiving numerous complaints that, although the interchange was essentially done, it was not open for public use.

The opening had originally been delayed because of concerns voiced by some residents that it would be unsafe to open it before the Far Hills and Cheyenne interchanges were completed.

“I think there were decisions made in years past to build other parts of the Beltway and there was probably some good reason for that. But now that it's been constructed, there's not a good reason not to open it to the public,” said County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury. He also added that surrounding neighborhoods, such as Sun City, need to be protected.

“I think sometimes our job is difficult but what were supposed to do is what's in the public interest. This would benefit the community and we spent significant public dollars and we need to finish the job,” said Commissioner Rory Reid.

The interchange could open within a few weeks.

 


 
Police Standoff Results in 2 Arrests
Monday, August 18th, 2008

Two people have been arrested and are facing charges of domestic violence and battery after a nearly six-hour standoff with police.

The incident started around 1:30 p.m. in the Lakes area near Fort Apache and Desert Inn. Several streets in the area were shut down to traffic while police and SWAT attempted to make contact with the couple.

The couple could be facing additional charges.

 


 
Woman Recovering After Being Shot in Attempted Robbery
Friday, August 8th, 2008

A woman is recovering after being shot during an attempted robbery. It happened around 6:30 a.m. near Lake Mead and Torrey Pines.

Police say an armed man approached her in her car and attempted to steal her car. He then opened fire, hitting the woman twice.

She then drove to a nearby gas station where she was able to get help.

The gunman was able to get away.

Right now, authorities have a vague description of him.