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Show B2 The Salt Lake Tribune UTAHFriday, June 14,1996 Wife of Man Killed by Police Seeks $10.5 Million CLOSE TO HOME Milegyor BY JOSHUA B. GOOD THESALT LAKE TRIBUNE The familyof a black man who wasshot and killed bya white Salt Lake City police officer wants $5.25 million for eachbullet that ripped through the chest ney’s Office andisstill on the force. Wednesdayagainst Salt Lake City Corp. and two rookie officers who were involved in the shooting Wilson’s family contendshe was using the branch to ward off blows from the batons of Joel Schow and Michele Rendon ceased man’s parents. After the shooting, Janet Wil- month have been sentenced to an additional year behind bars. On May 5, James Darwin Nunley. 31 wire-topped fence at a minimum-security facilty at Camp Williams. They were arrested four days later when Utah HighwayPatrol troopers stopped them in a stolen car on Interstate 15 near Centerville Nunley and Valdez were charged with second-degree felony escape. and both pleaded guilty to the lesser erime of class A misdemeanor attempted escape. Third Circuit Judge Roger A. Livingston sentenced them to an additional year in prison, consecutive to termstheyare serving. Nunley was doing time for robbery, attempted theft and burglary. Valdez was in on theft, burglary and drug possession. Both were to be paroled next year DRUG DEALER GETS PROBATION A man who police say wasa link in a major gunsfor-drugs pipeline that stretched from Mexico to Salt Lake City was sentenced to 100 hours communi. ty service and 36 monthsprobation by 3rd District Judge Robert K. Hilder. Scot, Allen Ponciroli, 33, swung at Salt Lake County drug officers when he BY REBECCA WALSH THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE After 11 years, hundreds of shows and monthsoffighting with the neighbors, Hale Centre Theatre is leaving ‘Theater owners couldn't pass up West Valley City leaders’ offer to build the semiprofessional theater company a $6 million theater-in-theround at a newcivic center complex at 3500 South and Interstate 215. The proposal lured the theater from three other Wasatch Front cities’ re- cruitment efforts and outofits long- time home on Main Street in South Salt Lake It’s almost more than our wildest dreams.” said Sally Dietlein, an owner. Werre finally getting the support we want and need 30 guns were recovered at a Murray storage shed Ponciroli— on probation for a 1995 drug conviction — pleaded guiltyto two counts of third-degree felo- nypossessionof a controlled substance withintentto distribute. Ponciroli’s two partners told police they traded black-market guns in Arizona for Mexican marijuana. Ina federalsting, three Mexicannationals were arrested in Tucson and charged with conspiracyto distribute marijuana VICTIM CASE DISMISSED A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against the Utah CrimeVictims’ Reparation Board by the father of a 14-year-old boy wounded by a bullet. The board's final denial of benefits was dated July 27, 1995. and Richard M. Binns of California had 30 days to appeal onbehalf of his son, Derek. The was filed Sept. 5. 1995, past the deadline, and w: dismissed in May by 3rd District Judge William Bohling. Binns’ suit claimed Derek was struck in the left eyeas heleft a Salt LakeCity convenience store in August 1994. but the reparation boardsaid the source of the bullet could not be determined andthe weapon may havedischarged accidently SENTENCE POSTPONED Sentencing for an auto thief who bolted from a courtroom after his conviction has been postponed until September while he undergoes evaluation at the prison. Levi Scott Jones ran from 3rd District Judge David S_ Young's courtroom in March, but was tackled by the car-theft victim and a court bailiff The judge yelled at Jones to Jones. 19. sub: ly “Knock it off was charged with assaulting thebailiff. a case in which Young may be called as a s. A preliminary hearing in the assualt case set for September Sandy osteopathic physican Paul Saxton has filed Enforcement Administration leaders Saxton is ask ing a federal judge to prohibit the DEA fromrevok his certificate to prescribe certain narcotics. Saxton. in practice since 1982, said in court papers that DEA agents. armed with a warrant, raided his office in November 1 leaving with documents and data on 32 patients. Saxton said the agency is about to revoke his certificate and he refused to surrender it voluntarily because he has done nothing wrong. A 12-member jury was seated Thursday in Gunni he July 6, 1994. years. Shealso quit the Governor's Council position. She was not appointed to the council by the governor, but got the position through her De- Department of Health Director Richard Melton ‘The samedayshe was confronted, she resigned from her Health Department job, where she had legal documents. Lewis also said Riverton’s action partment of Health job Messages left at her home were not returned Thursday and no one answered the phone at a travel agency she owns She has not been charged and The Salt Lake Tribune usually does not name criminal suspects until chargesarefiled Auditors turned over the records to the Utah AttorneyGeneral's Office in May, said attorney general spokesman Todd Utzinger. But because they were busy, Kolan decided to have Salt Lake City police detectives investigate, hoping action would be taken sooner. The audit revealed the womanallegedly wrote $2,000 worth of checks to cash and to family members. Then, in a separateledger, she indicated the checks were made to legitimate vendors, the audit found She also tried to push business to her travel agency and allegedly put in for reimbursement for about $1,000 worth oftravel, which either she alreadyhad paid for or was the personaltravel expensesof a friend. according to the audit 2 Killed in Separate Motorcycle Crashes The protest of Salt Lake Countyis well-found- Hansen said worked as a communityhealth specialist for 10 a head injury suffered in a mountain hike, said was void because the City Council rejected the annexation weeks before, then resurrected the same proposal registered voters in the area — believes future city the city’s $52 million Olympic hockey arena, a new $6 million performing al hotels and restaurants. BY JOSHUA B, GOOD moneybecauseshe suffered from amnesia due to Salt Lake County immediately protested thecity’s action on one of the parcels. Deputy CountyAttorney Kent Lewis said the city violated state law by separating the proposal, changing the area and its proposed zoning andnot preparing new Sheldon Hansen, who collected the 259signatures on the “Southwestern Township” petition — 85% of $12 a performance The theater will be surrounded by THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE woman said she didn't knowif she had taken the 13800 South and 3600 West and 5600 Westin April said Ken 150,000 theatergoers to its year-round shows. Ticket prices range from $7 to arts center, office buildings and sever- West ValleyCity’s spacious theater Health and Physical Fitness may have embezzled $3,000 or more. Auditors are not sure howlong the embezzling went on, but say the woman controlled a checking account for the Governor's Council for four years “They didn't keep complete books and records,” said Robert Kolan, a Department of Health employee who oversaw the audit. “If you're going to steal money, the best way is not to keep the books.” When confronted by her bosses in March, the Riverton’s collapse before the Salt Lake County BY VINCE HORIUCHI THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE The same day Mohammed Anamul Kabir got his new Harley Da- vidson, he struck a car broadside in Clearfield and died the next southbound on Main Street in Clearfield when he struck a car turning left at 300 North, said Clearfield police. He wasflownto cKay-Dee Hospital, where he was pronounced dead Wednesday. Kabir was wearing a helmet. Wednesday night, Barry Sutton died in Salt Lake City. Sutton, 25. was riding eastbound on 500 South, not wearing a helmet, whenhis motorcycle struck a car making left turn at 1100 East, said Salt Lake City police. He was pronounced dead Thursdayafter- noonat University Hospital Then at about 2 a.m. Thursday 300 E. South Temple In North Dakota, riders under 16 must take the mandatoryclass, whilein California and Florida, a The officer tried to pull over the man for reckless driving when class is required for those under 21, said John Dame, program spe- The motorcyclist lost control at the intersection and crashed He waslisted in fair condition at LDS manwerekilled and a third riding on a sport bike was seriouslyinjured Tuesday night, Kabir, 23, was ing a license to ride a motorcycle the pursuit began, police said night, Kabir’s was the first of three Utah motorcycle accidents in just over a day. Kabir and another could be executed. He is charged Hospital, said a nursing supervi sor. It is not known whether he was wearing a helmet The two fatalities werethesixth and seventh motoreycle-related deaths so far this year in Utah. according to the Utah Highway SafetyOffice Last year in Utah, 11 people were killed riding motorcycles. None of the victims wore a helmet. Three of those accidents in. volved a motorcyclist whocollided with a car. In Utah, motorcycle riders over the age of 18 are not required to wear helmets, and they don’t have to attend a motorcycle training class. Motorcycle riders under 16 are required to wear a helmet In 10 otherstates, riders under PROVO CLEANUP GRANT NEWSBRIEFS stabbing deathof inmate Lonnie mon at the Central Utah Correctional Facility were being takento theprison medic The old Ironton steel mill in southeast Provo is too contaminated to be used anymore,butit’s not a big enough health hazard to be a Superfund site. That other inmates allegedly grabbed Blackmon and held him while Kell purportedly stab him 67 times Inmates Eric T Daniels and Don S Cannistraci also were charged with aggravated murder. Cannist pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced from1 to 15 yearsin prison. Daniels’ trial is scheduled for August1 DISABLED WOMAN MOLESTED David Howard. 36, was charged with two counts of forcible sexual abuse Thursday for allegedly fon dlingthe breasts and vagina of a cerebral palsy pa tient who wasin his care. Theattack happened as Howard was helping the Salt Lake County woman prepare for bed sometime between April 22 and April 25, according to charging documents. Howard was working for United Cerebral Palsy Association of Utah at the time. When thevictim screamed for Howard to stop, he allegedly slapped her leg hard emioughto bruise-it-— 4 SANDY TAX CUT Sandy officials have promised to cut taxes as the 18 musttake a class before receiv- a 23-year-old man was being chased bya Utah State Protective Services police officer when he crashed his sport “bullet” bike at vated murder trial of Troy Kell unnison. Blackmon was killed as he and Kell 4 bound to cometo thecity ecutive director of the Governor's Council on Boundary Commission on Thursdayleaves all the unincorporated property between the city’s bound ary and the Oquirrh Mountains for a huge township that could trump Riverton’s expansion plans After months of preparation and meetings with angry Herriman property owners, Riverton annexed two sections of property between 11800 South and protection,” leaders. With Hale Centre Theatre leaving. he said, another theater is Cup 5K Fun Run. But a Utah Department of The city acknowledged their annexation proposal was faulty because petitions for the city expansion did not have enough signatures. The annexation also would have created anillegal peninsula of city property into the unincorporated county. Leetham, city community and economic develop ment director. “We'll probably put together another proposal. I don’t know what it’s going to look like.”’ nuesto pay back the bonds. Hale Centre Theatre has 11,000 season ticket holders and brings in nanceeventually will be passed bycity Health employee allegedly took some of the moneyand ran. Auditors with the Department of Health turned over recordsto the Salt Lake City Police Department on Mondaythat showthe formerex- man. to opt outof the proposed township space and thecity will use the reve- Council Nevertheless, Mayor RandyFitts believes the arts and entertainmentordi- She was supposedto help set up the Governor's THESALT LAKE TRIBUNE After the election, if the original petitionersstill want to be annexed intothecity, they would beable company eventually will lease the the business. “We've been played for fools,” said Holly Carson. vice chairwoman of the Southgate Community State Health Worker Suspected of Theft Rivertoncity leaders have backed awayfrom their proposed annexation of nearly 2,000 acres in Herri- But Riverton isn’t giving up will seek private funds first to support design and construction. West Valley City will bondfor the rest. The theater write a newordinance to accommodate is hostile to the theater, Dietlein said Aug. 6 to determineif the township will be formed. The city and the theater company “But they just For their part, the theater's South Salt Lake neighbors feel misled and misusedin their months-longeffort to discussions this week The atmospherein South Salt Lake BY REBECCA WALSH We're going back to ground zero,” tien to stay,” she said. don't support the arts.” At the theater's urging, South Salt ed.” Riverton attorney David Church wrote to the Boundary Commission. No one from Riverton atended the hearing The Boundary Commission order to disapprove the larger annexation area leaves nearly all the property between Riverton and Herriman available for a proposed township west of the city. More than 760acres the city annexed that eventuallywill bound the Bangerter Highwaywill remain in Riverton Herriman residents opposed the annexation, fearing the city would allow dense commercial andresidential developmentthat would clash with their rural lifestyle. Herriman- and Southwest-area — it is nine times as large as the company’s current location — probably won't open for another two years, said City Manager John Patterson. with what we had. Wehad every inten- Lake leaders and residents have spent months preparing an arts and entertainment overlayzone that would have allowed some changes. But even the first draft jammed during City Council 28. Opening arguments arescheduledto begin today If convicted train the officers and did notdiscipline them. would have been very happy to work warehouse next door. Rehearsal space was cramped. Additional seating and an improvedlighting system were limited by a lowroof. And residents of surrounding neighborhoods were against any expansion efforts that might encroach on their homes. It's to our benefit to stay in the township for JURY SELECTED An autopsy revealed Wilson had cocaine in his “If the city had shown a support for the arts and goneto the wall for us, we theater andin the rafters of a rented annexations are unlikely son to hear the a ing Wilson with a baton while screaming profanities blood, which police said may explain why he became so violent The lawsuit claims Schow and Rendon viclated Wilson’s civil rights and the city failed to properly Hale Centre’s owners have been community residents have submitted a township pe- suit against US. Atty. Gen Janet Reno and Drug chemical. The lawsuit claims Schow then began beat- tion as a drug house. Though legally the car belonged to both the Wilsons, Schow and Rendon agreed to help Janet Wilson. They went to the apartment and knocked on the door. The lawsuit claims they threatened to knock struggling in cramped quarters for years in South Salt Lake. Costumes were housedin a tiny home behind the tition to the county. A special election will be held SUES DEA according to a witness. Wilson was sprayed in the eyes with Mace. It was raining and he used puddle water to wash away the at him. Wilson ran from theofficers and picked up the branch. Police say Rendon ducked when Wilson swungit at her and Schow fired twice. Riverton Retreats From Herriman Annexation Plan was arrested outside Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City Jan. 5, according to charging documents Inside his hotel room, police found 64 grams of methamphetamine, 2 pounds of marijuana, drug packaging materials, a pipe and $16.000 cash. And Rendonrefused, according to the lawsuit, and Wil- son then asked for the keys and reached for them, Hale Theatre to Move to New Complex in West Valley South Salt Lake and Raymond Nathanial Valdez. 23. jumpeda razor- He came out and gave Rendon the keys to the car On the night of the shooting, Janet Wilson called police and asked them to get her car from her husband, who was sleeping at an apartment at 1054 N ChicagoSt. (940 West). Janet and her husband had fought in the past and the apartment wherehe was sleeping had a reputa- The police department contends Wilson, 29, was swinging the branch at Rendon and Schow fired twice to protect his partner Wilson's wife, Janet. is the plaintiff in the lawsuit along with the Wilsons’ three children and the de- ONE MORE YEAR Two Utah State Prison inmates who escaped last Then he asked for her badge number. Schow was cleared by the Salt Lake County Attor- $10.5 million lawsuit filed in 3rd District Court on FOR THE RECORD down the doorif Wilson did not comeout Shortly after the April 10, 1994, shooting, Salt Lake City Police Chief Ruben Ortega accused Janet Wilson of having “dollar signs in her eyes." The chief also said Janet Wilson hadtold detectives she was glad the man had been shot — but it turned out another witness had madethatstatement. of Birtes Wilson Jr. as he stood against a wall holding a 10-foot-long tree branch two years ago. That branch islikely to be the centerpiece of the “L realize it makes you uneasy, but until you snap outofthis sleep-walking phase. Dr. Shadeck saysit's for your own good.” son claimed Schowkilled her husband because he wasblack. middle groundhas kept the 338-acre propertyaban- cialist for the Utah HighwaySafe. ty Office The only requirement for Utahnsis to paya fee for registration and a motorcycle license that goesto a voluntarysiatewide motoreycle training program based at Weber State University, Dame said Salt Lake City police Lt. Phil Kirk, a motorcycie-squad officer for seven years, said riding a mo- torcycle with no helmetand no experience is lette” “playing Russian rou- Healsosaid teen-agers are buying sport bikes and fast motorcycles without having the proper training ‘Thereis such a temptation to go like a bat out of hell,” he said, to get something that goes fast for someone who hasn't fully ap- preciated thevalueoflife.” scheduled to open bids on $20 million in general obligation bonds. Another $11 million in construc- tion bondsauthorized bythe 1996 Legislature will be issued next year. Most of the moneywill go toward construction of a 192-bed prison at the Gunnison doned andin limbo — until Thursday Correctional Facility dropped by 0.2% taxes on gas, electric and phone The Environmental Protection Agency, at a Washington, D.C., ceremony conducted by Vice President Al Gore, gave the city a check for $100,000 to clean up the toxie wastesleft by coke ovens and biast fur- The top ratingis attributed toits relatively small debt burden, rapid job growth and recordof prudent MeNeill. This year the franchise tax break amounts cities city gets richer Tuesday was D-Day In passing its million budget. the City Council bills, with a promise to repeat thecuts each of the next five years, said City Council head George to $93,000 less incomefor thecity Thefast-growingcity also increased by $200,000 the rainy-day fund by trimming othercosts such as $20,000 from the travel budget and $15,000 from the Chamber of Commerce. MeNeill said the council is also considering dropping its membership in the Utah Leagueof Cities and Towns. Because fees are based on population, the 90,000-person city pays $26,000. But. said McNeill, Sandy still gets just one vote We're concerned that the benefits we derive just aren't worth it,” ; he said b naces,with the help of USX Corp., the land's former owner. Such Utahis oneofjust five states with an AAA bond rating — the highest given management. “Brownfield” grants went to 20 U.S Oo TRAFFIC-LIGHT COMMENTS. Salt Lake City residents have until Monday to UTAH GETS TOP BOND RATING Utah has been given another AAA bond rating, ina continuationofits stellar financial reputation of recent years. The rating — from the national rating agencies of Moody’s Investors Service, Standard and Poor's Rat- ings GroupandFitch Investors Service — is impor. tant because it means Utah government obtains the lowestpossibleinterest rates Thursday the state Bonding Commission was . “ voicetheir opinionona planto install a traffic signal at 1500 East and 2100 South. at the entranceto Sugar House Park The phone numbertocall to leave a recorded mes- sageis 535-7653 Earlier this year, Mayor Deedee Corradini ordered a delayin the signal installation after neighborhood groups argued that the signal would divert traffic onto the largely residential 1500 East A decision on the matter is expected later this month ¢ 4 |
