IN BRIEF

MAN KILLED, WOMAN INJURED

Police arrest suspect in fatal shooting

North Las Vegas police arrested a 38-year-old man in connection with a shooting outside the Juke Joint bar this weekend that left a man dead and a woman seriously injured.

Charles Garner was being held in the North Las Vegas Detention Center Monday on recommended charges of murder and attempted murder, said Mark Hoyt, a spokesman with North Las Vegas police. Garner was arrested Saturday after police arrived at the bar on East Craig Road near Lamb Boulevard at 8 a.m. and found the two gunshot victims in a car in the bar's parking lot.

The coroner's office identified the deceased as Anthony Wright, 34 of Las Vegas. The woman, who was not identified by police, was in critical condition at University Medical Center, North Las Vegas police said. Police have not released a motive for the slaying.

HEADSTONES TOPPLED

Police investigating cemetery vandalism

Tombstones in a Jewish section of the Bunker Memorial Gardens Cemetery were knocked over Sunday morning, but authorities are still unsure of the motivation behind the vandalism, according to Las Vegas police.

About 15 headstones in the Sharon Garden area of the cemetery at 7251 W. Lone Mountain Road near U.S. Highway 95 were toppled by a group of teenagers, police said. Two American flags displayed by the cemetery were also stolen.

Police do not know if the crimes were racially motivated or gang related, but the investigation is being handled by the Gang Crimes Bureau, police spokesman Jose Montoya said.

The tombstones could have been targeted because they were tall and easier to knock over, Montoya said.

"It's just unfortunate that this would take place," said Celena Dilullo, cemetery manager. "I don't really understand why people would do that."

The tombstones, which were not damaged, were all put in their correct places, she said.

No arrests had been made.

CROSSED MEDIAN

Crash victim identified as Las Vegas man

A man killed Saturday morning when he steered into oncoming traffic has been identified as Sergio Quintanilla of Las Vegas by the Clark County coroner's office.

According to police, Quintanilla, 27, was driving south on Eastern Avenue near Desert Inn Road around 4:40 a.m. when he crossed the median and crashed into a Ford Expedition, driven by 23-year-old Adam Hutchinson.

Quintanilla was pronounced dead at the scene.

CAR HIT BY PICKUP

Man killed in wreck was from Henderson

The 49-year-old man killed after his car was struck by a pickup Friday afternoon has been identified as Steven Bryan Howard of Henderson.

Howard was making a left turn from Sunbonnet Avenue onto Broadbent Boulevard, near Boulder Highway, when he pulled in front of a pickup driven by Jeffery Kuster, 47. Kuster, who was not injured, was traveling north and struck the driver's side door.

Howard was pronounced dead at the scene.

BURGLARY SUSPECTED

School locked down after two guns found

A Reno middle school was locked down for more than two hours Monday after two guns were found in a garbage can outside the school.

A custodian found a rifle and a shotgun at Billinghurst Middle School at about 11 a.m.

Washoe County School Police Lieutenant Dale Richardson says the school was placed under "code yellow," which restricts students to their classroom.

LAW ENFORCEMENT VETERAN

Ex-Douglas undersheriff parole, probation chief

A former Douglas County undersheriff was named Monday as the new chief of the state Parole and Probation Division.

Department of Public Safety Director Jerry Hafen picked Bernie Curtis, who has had a varied career in law enforcement, and who also served as a Douglas County commissioner, to fill the post. He will start April 14.

"The experience and organizational skills that Bernie Curtis brings to the job will be huge assets for (Parole and Probation)," Hafen said. "Curtis has the skills to help motivate and guide P and P into the future."

Curtis started his career in law enforcement in 1968 as a deputy sheriff for the Butte County Sheriff's Department in Oroville, Calif. He also served as deputy sheriff, sergeant, and undersheriff in Douglas County, operations chief deputy at the Carson City Sheriff's Department, and as undersheriff in Elko County.

Curtis also was elected to the Douglas County Commission where he served from 1997 through 2004.

He replaces former chief John Gonska, who announced his resignation on March 24, just days after a legislative audit uncovered numerous problems at his agency.