Reno Carjacker Convicted of Armed Sparks Bar Robbery
RENO — A felon convicted earlier of a 2018 carjacking at a Reno-area carwash has been found guilty of four federal counts related to an armed robbery at a bar and grill in Sparks that occurred two months earlier.
A federal jury in Reno convicted 39-year-old Eric Romero-Lobato Thursday of charges including discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and felon in possession of a firearm. He faces up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years at his sentencing March 31, 2020.
Prosecutors say Romero-Lobato is an immigrant currently awaiting a trial on charges of illegally re-entering the U.S.
They say he used the same 9mm semi-automatic pistol to rob the Sparks restaurant that he pointed at a woman in the carjacking before he crashed during a high-speed chase and was captured in May 2018.
Male Pedestrian, 55, Hit and Killed by Car in Sparks
SPARKS — A 55-year-old man had died after he was hit by a car while crossing a street in northeast Sparks.
The Washoe County regional medical examiner’s office identified the victim Wednesday as Roger Geigle.
Sparks police say he was hit by a car just before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Vista Boulevard and Iratcabal Drive north of Disc Drive.
A preliminary investigation indicates Geigle was in a marked crosswalk. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say they’ve not determined his hometown.
The driver of the gray car remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators. Authorities say speed, drugs or alcohol did not appear to be factors in the crash.
An investigation is continuing.
South Lake Tahoe High Teacher Accused of Sexual Misconduct
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — A 39-year-old high school teacher at South Lake Tahoe has been arrested on charges accusing him of sexual misconduct involving multiple students.
South Lake Tahoe Police said Thursday Nathan Crnich is accused of making sexual advances and inappropriately touching students in class.
He was taken into custody at the school and was being held in the El Dorado County Jail on $150,000 bail. It’s not clear if he has a lawyer or will be appointed one.
Crnich was placed on administrative leave last month when staff members at South Lake Tahoe High first notified police of the allegations.
Police say they found three students, and possibly a fourth, who reported misconduct by Crnich.
Investigators say they’re looking for other potential victims. Anyone with information should contact South Lake Tahoe police at 5530-542-6100.
Vegas Sheriff: Retired Officer Child Sex Case ‘Distressing’
LAS VEGAS — The arrest of a retired Las Vegas police officer on a felony child prostitution charge prompted Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo to acknowledge they are friends and issue a statement and calling the allegation distressing.
Kirk Reed Hooten’s defense attorney, David Chesnoff, said Friday that people shouldn’t rush to judgment.
Hooten is due in court Monday following his arrest Thursday and release on $10,000 bond. Details of the case could be made public then.
Lombardo says detectives began Nov. 15 to investigate a social media post about an incident involving a teenage girl in the Las Vegas area.
Hooten is 51. He retired in April after 25 years as a police officer.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports his wife is a police sergeant assigned to the department’s sex crimes unit.
Nevada Crash Kills 2 after Takeoff from Airport near Idaho
JACKPOT — Authorities say two people were killed when a light plane crashed and burned after taking off from a small northeastern Nevada airport near the border with Idaho.
Elko County sheriff’s Sgt. Nick Czegledi (SEG’-leh-dee) said Saturday the identities of those killed in the crash late Friday near Jackpot weren’t being released pending confirmation through autopsies.
Czegledi said a witness said the plane took off to the south and then banked hard to the east before losing altitude before crashing.
He said National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration officials were expected to arrive in the area to investigate the crash.
Jackpot is on U.S. 93 and 41 miles (76 kilometers) south of Twin Falls, Idaho.
Biden Nets Congressional Endorsement from an Early State
LAS VEGAS — U.S. Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada is endorsing Joe Biden, becoming the first sitting member of Congress from an early voting state to endorse a presidential candidate.
Titus says in a statement Monday that she feels Biden is the candidate best prepared to defeat President Donald Trump. The five-term congresswoman says she saw the former vice president help turn around the nation’s economy after the Great Recession and help get President Barack Obama’s signature health care law passed.
She also says Biden will give Democrats their best chance to pass progressive reforms and won’t need any on-the-job training.
Titus represents the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding areas. She’s one of the few members of Nevada’s congressional delegation that has not pledged to stay neutral ahead of the state’s February caucuses.
Vegas Airport Marks Busiest Month Ever by Passenger Count
LAS VEGAS — October turned out to be the busiest month ever by passenger count at the main airport in Las Vegas.
The Clark County Department of Aviation reported Monday that McCarran International Airport handled more than 4.6 million arriving and departing travelers last month, up 4.2% compared with the same month a year ago.
Passenger traffic is a measurement of tourism in Las Vegas, where the airport has handled more than 43 million passengers in 2019 and could soar past 50 million for the first time.
McCarran is one of the 10 busiest airports in the U.S. based on number of passengers served.
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