In Brief
SECOND TODDLER DROWNING
Girl, 2, found in pool dies, police say
A 2-year-old girl found floating in a pool Tuesday has died, Las Vegas police said.
Her death marks the second local drowning death this week.
The Clark County coroner's office identified the toddler as Chrissa Nina Mathews and ruled her drowning an accident. She died early Wednesday.
The girl was found around 4:25 p.m. Tuesday in the pool at 5216 Yellow Dawn Court, near Ann Road and Decatur Boulevard, and was taken to a hospital, where she later died.
On Monday, a 2-year-old boy died after being found in a pool at a house near Flamingo Road and Jones Boulevard the day before.
The deaths were the second and third drownings involving young children in Las Vegas this year.
WARD 2 CITY COUNCIL SEAT
Candidate drops out of Henderson race
One of the 16 candidates for Henderson's vacant Ward 2 City Council seat has withdrawn from consideration.
Daniel "D.J." Allen said Wednesday that he decided to pull out of the race because serving on the council would mean too much time away from his family and his business.
Allen owns a marketing firm and recently co-wrote a book with UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger.
That leaves 15 candidates to fill the seat left open when longtime Ward 2 Councilman Andy Hafen was elected mayor last month.
The council will hold a special meeting Wednesday to hear from the candidates and appoint one of them to fill the seat Hafen held since 1987.
MILD FORM OF VIRUS
County woman, 61, has West Nile fever
A 61-year-old Clark County woman has been diagnosed with West Nile fever, a mild form of the virus, the Southern Nevada Health District confirmed Wednesday.
The case is the first reported in the county this year. According to the health district, the virus was detected in a cluster of mosquitoes in the 89119 zip code.
Stephanie Bethel, spokeswoman for the health district, said this is typically the time of year when clusters of mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus in Southern Nevada.
Last year, Nevada had 16 confirmed cases of the virus and no deaths. Thirteen of the cases were in Clark County.
Bethel said it is hard to predict how many cases will appear each year.
West Nile virus is most often spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can be prevented by avoiding stagnant water sources and by wearing insect repellent with DEET and long clothing when outdoors.
DURANGO AND SAHARA
Motorcyclist dies after collision with Hummer
A 26-year-old motorcyclist died early Wednesday when he collided with a 2008 Hummer H3 at Sahara Avenue and Durango Drive.
The Las Vegas man was riding a 2005 Kawasaki EX500 motorcycle southbound on Durango when the driver of the Hummer, on northbound Durango, made a left turn onto Sahara Avenue.
The motorcyclist was unable to stop and struck the front of the Hummer. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Hummer, 75-year-old Heinz Ward, was taken to University Medical Center with minor injuries. No charges against him have been filed pending a Las Vegas police investigation.
MEDICAL EPISODE POSSIBLE
Man, 71, killed in crash near downtown
A 71-year-old Las Vegas man died in a car crash Wednesday near downtown Las Vegas.
Las Vegas police said the man, who was not identified, was driving a Chevrolet Suburban east on Charleston Boulevard toward Commerce Street when he drove over the median and into westbound traffic at 12:27 p.m.
He struck a Ford Ranger driven by 31-year-old Trent English, police said.
The driver of the Suburban was taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Police believe he suffered a medical episode before the crash.
English and a passenger in the pickup suffered minor injuries.
