IN BRIEF

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

School Board approves settlement offer

The Clark County School Board on Wednesday authorized a $950,000 offer to settle a 10-year-old case that is scheduled to go to trial for a second time in December.

The Nevada Supreme Court overturned a 2002 verdict for the plaintiff, Richardson Construction, which had won a $225,000 judgment and sanctions against the school system in Clark County District Court. The Supreme Court found the sanctions to be overly broad. It also found the judgment exceeded the state's cap on tort damages.

Richardson was hired to improve district food service facilities. Richardson claims the district interfered in its contract with a subcontractor. The subcontractor had filed a complaint against Richardson for not being paid, court records stated. Richardson then brought a third-party complaint against the district for various claims, including wrongful interference and indemnity. The third-party complaint is what's targeted for settlement.

The ongoing dispute over the case also has kept Richardson from getting new contracts with the district, said Theodore Parker III, the company's attorney.

Parker said his client will consider the district's settlement offer.

Bill Hoffman, general counsel for the school district, declined to comment because of the pending litigation.

ROUTE 160 ACCIDENT

61-year-old woman killed in crash ID'd

One of two women killed earlier this week in a head-on collision on state Route 160 one mile west of state Route 159 was identified Wednesday by the Clark County coroner's office as 61-year-old Evelyn Louise O'Neill of Pahrump.

Nevada Highway Patrol officials said the accident happened at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. The other victim in the crash was identified earlier as 39-year-old Gail Miller.

Police said Miller crossed the center line in a GMC Yukon and was passing cars at a high rate of speed. Miller then struck the front end of O'Neill's Dodge pickup. The two women were alone in their vehicles. Both of them were pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.