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Friday, June 22, 2001
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Man fined for creating hazard at rally

Ex-commissioner drove truck through crowd of protesters

Federal authorities fined a former Lincoln County commissioner for creating a hazard in connection with a citizens rally staged this month near an entrance to the top-secret facility known as Area 51.

James E. Manner, 59, of Panaca -- who served two years on the Lincoln County Commission before moving from Alamo in 1999 -- is also being investigated by Sheriff Dahl Bradfield. Bradfield is probing more serious allegations that Manner tried to run over some 20 demonstrators from a group that had gathered June 3 on Groom Lake Road, 90 miles north of Las Vegas.

"We're still looking into it," Bradfield said Thursday, about a criminal complaint filed by two of the demonstrators, Anthony Hilder, of Los Angeles, and Ted Gunderson, of Las Vegas.

In a telephone interview, Manner said he paid a $100 fine for a citation issued by a Bureau of Land Management law enforcement ranger for driving his truck through a crowd of demonstrators at the so-called "People's Rally," organized by Norio Hayakawa.

Hayakawa, of Los Angeles, said the rally was staged to protest the government's lack of openness about the classified facility the Air Force describes only as "an operating location near Groom dry lake."

Manner said the group was spread across the dusty road as he was heading toward the area where he works as a classified government contractor. "I can't confirm what I do," he said.

"I was traveling the road like I've done thousands of times for many, many years. I come down this tight curve and there was all these curious people standing in the road," he said.

"I sped up a little bit when I saw them. They were upset that I didn't immediately brake," Manner said. "I deeply apologize. I didn't intend to create a hazard."

He said he paid the BLM fine by mail to the federal magistrate's violation bureau in Atlanta, because "I wanted to keep this low-key and didn't want to appear in court."

Manner said he has "no hard feelings against these people. They can use public lands as well as me."

A crowd of 55 participated in the rally in a remote area of Lincoln County. About 20 of them were actually in the road, Hayakawa said. No one was hurt, authorities said.