IN BRIEF

World Series of Poker player found dead

A Florida man who played poker in Las Vegas died in the northwest Arizona desert after his vehicle got stuck in some sand in a remote area some 40 miles southeast of Mesquite.

Mohave County sheriff’s spokeswoman Trish Carter identified the victim as Michael Donovan Holt, 36, of Bradenton.

Carter said investigators believe that Holt died of heat exposure but the official cause of death will be determined by an autopsy. She said his mother told deputies that Holt had played in a poker tournament in Las Vegas and had been eliminated.

Bloggers on poker Web sites concerned about his whereabouts indicate that Holt had played in the World Series of Poker.

Carter said a hunter on Friday found the Lincoln Town Car that Holt rented in Las Vegas. A note placed on the disabled vehicle indicated that he set off on foot seeking help.

Search and rescue personnel found Holt’s body some six miles from the car at about 6:45 a.m., Saturday.

ARRESTED IN MEXICO

Suspect in LV slaying taken into custody

Authorities in Mexico took into custody Thursday a 21-year-old man wanted in connection with the death in March of a Las Vegas woman, Las Vegas police said.

Authorities arrested Hector Vasquez in Mexicali, Mexico, on a Las Vegas warrant for murder with a deadly weapon and a federal warrant for fleeing to avoid prosecution, police said.

Vasquez is detained in Mexico pending extradition to Las Vegas.

He is accused of killing 25-year-old Patricia Ocanas on March 31. Ocanas was found shot multiple times at 3145 Walnut Road near Las Vegas Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue.

Police said Ocanas was visiting a friend on Walnut when she was shot and killed by Vasquez.

LAS VEGAS MAN DIES

Medical condition tied to four-vehicle crash

A 53-year-old Las Vegas man who might have suffered from a medical condition died after he sideswiped two vehicles and caused a four-vehicle accident on Charleston Boulevard near Decatur Boulevard Sunday night, Las Vegas police said.

Jose Roxas was westbound on Charleston in a 1990 BMW 735i at about 9:15 p.m. when he struck a 2006 Nissan Altima that hit a 2001 Nissan Xterra, police said.

Both the Altima and the Xterra were stopped at a red light at Essex Drive, police said.

Roxas continued west on Charleston and side-swiped a 2005 Honda Civic that had also stopped at the red light.

Authorities took Roxas to Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police said Roxas might have suffered from a medical condition that prevented him from avoided the other vehicles.

The Clark County coroner’s office did not have a cause of death for Roxas on Monday.

No one else was injured in the incident.

NORTH LAS VEGAS STORE

Police name robbery suspect killed by clerk

North Las Vegas police have identified as Steven Scott the 20-year-old Las Vegas man shot and killed by a clerk while allegedly trying to rob a convenience store.

An employee of the store at 4850 Camino Al Norte near Craig Road shot Scott at about 5 a.m. Sunday after he tried to rob the store at gunpoint, North Las Vegas police said.

Scott was taken to University Medical Center, where he later died.

The clerk probably won’t face charges for the shooting, police said.

SOUTH OF SEARCHLIGHT

Man killed after hitting tractor-trailer ID’d

The 34-year-old Las Vegas man who died Sunday after his van sideswiped a big rig and spun out of control on U.S. Highway 95 between Searchlight and Laughlin was Thomas Phillips.

Phillips was heading north on U.S. 95 at about noon when he crossed into the opposite side of the road and struck the tractor-trailer, authorities said.

Phillips wasn’t wearing a seat belt, authorities said.

HIGHWAY 95 AND ANN ROAD

Motorcyclist who died in crash identified

The 36-year-old Las Vegas man who died Saturday after crashing his motorcycle on U.S. Highway 95 near Ann Road was Christopher Rivera.

Authorities said Rivera wrecked his motorcycle at about 4 a.m. He was taken to University Medical Center and died about seven hours later.

The accident remains under investigation.

LAS VEGAS WOMAN

Driver killed in wreck was 19-year-old

The 19-year-old woman who died when her PT Cruiser hit an embankment on Summerlin Parkway near Town Center Drive on Saturday has been identified as Danielle Cristiano.

Cristiano of Las Vegas was on Summerlin Parkway at about 7 a.m. when her car left the roadway and she struck an embankment, causing her car to overturn, authorities said.

Cristiano was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, authorities said.