IN BRIEF

PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Obama to campaign in state next week

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will stump in Southern Nevada next week, according to his campaign.

Obama will hold a campaign event in the Las Vegas area on Tuesday, the campaign said. No further details were announced.

Also headed to Nevada next week is Republican candidate John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, who is holding a fundraiser and town hall in Reno.

The candidates' visits are indications that Nevada, considered a swing state, will be hotly contested between the two parties in November.

Obama's rival for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton, won the majority of precinct delegates in the state's presidential caucuses. But Obama ended up with 14 pledged national convention delegates to Clinton's 11 at the state Democratic convention, which determined the final Nevada delegation members who will go to Denver in August.

Obama also has begun building a campaign operation for November in the state, on the assumption that he will wind up with the nomination.

CONVERTIBLE FLIPS

Man killed in crash on state Route 160 ID'd

A 53-year-old man who was killed when the convertible he was traveling in flipped and was hit by another vehicle on state Route 160 was identified by the coroner's office Thursday as Leonard Hickson of Las Vegas.

The coroner's office said Hickson died of blunt trauma to the head.

Nevada Highway Patrol trooper Kevin Honea said Hickson was traveling with another man northbound on Route 160, near Lovell Canyon Road, about 5 p.m. Wednesday when the driver lost control and veered off to the right side of the road. The driver overcorrected, crossed the northbound lanes and the car flipped onto a southbound lane, where it was struck by a sedan, Honea said.

Neither man in the vehicle, a Ford Mustang, was wearing a seat belt and the top was down on the convertible, Honea said.

Hickson died at the scene. The other injured man was driven to the University Medical Center. His injuries were unknown Thursday.

BOYFRIEND CALLS POLICE

Coroner identifies woman found dead

A 51-year-old woman who was found dead in a short-term rental on Boulder Highway this week was identified by the coroner's office Thursday as Patricia Fuchs of Las Vegas.

The coroner's office said Fuchs died of blunt force trauma to her head. Fuchs' boyfriend alerted police he found her Wednesday about 12:30 p.m. on the floor of her room at The Suites, 44625 S. Boulder Highway.

Police said Fuchs' boyfriend found her body.

Anyone with information regarding the slaying of Fuchs is urged to call the homicide section at 828-3521, or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.