Local briefs

A man accused of causing an accident that killed a teen on Six Mile Canyon Road in Storey County pleaded not guilty Friday.

Randy Michael Boyd was arraigned in District Court on felony charges of reckless driving causing death and failure to stop at scene of accident involving death.

Storey County investigators say Boyd and Daren Vandenberg, both 22, fought with Robert De La O, 16; Sam Villa, 17; Jose Elizondo Jr., 18; and David Flores, 17; at a convenience store in Dayton and then allegedly chased De La O's Lincoln Continental up Six Mile Canyon Road.

The Lincoln struck a guardrail and overturned, killing De La O.

Trial is set for 9 a.m. Dec. 4.

Man's condition good after being struck by vehicle

A California man remained in a Reno hospital on Friday after being struck by a car as he crossed Carson Street last weekend.

Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Scott Simon said Christopher Smith, 47, of Woodland Hills, Calif., was listed in good condition.

Smith was struck by a Mitsubishi Montero driven by Ilka Dinkelman, of Reno, as he crossed Carson Street yards from a nearby crosswalk at Eighth Street about 11:45 a.m. Saturday.

"Mr. Smith stepped right off the curb and right into the path of Mr. Dinkelman," Simon said.

Simon said paramedics had to perform CPR on Smith at the scene and he wasn't expected to survive when taken by helicopter from the field behind the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada on Stewart Street.

But a check Friday revealed Smith's prognosis looks good.

"He's doing way better than anyone expected," Simon said.

Hearing in airport mechanic's slaying delayed until August

Summer may be over before a pretrial hearing is held for Karen Bodden, who is accused of killing her husband.

On Wednesday, her attorney, James Wilson Jr., told Justice of the Peace Jim EnEarl that it would be the end of August before investigatory work was complete in the case.

Wilson asked that a preliminary hearing be set for Aug. 31, but EnEarl denied the request, saying the hearing could take three days and he would be out of town that week.

EnEarl set an Aug. 1 hearing date in the case and told Wilson that he would set a date for a preliminary hearing then.

Bodden has been in custody in Douglas County jail since Sept. 11, 2006, the day after Robin Bodden's body was found in the desert above Johnson Lane.

Bodden is being held in lieu of $1 million bail in connection with her husband's death.

Hawthorne army base to get water treatment system

The Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant will receive $11.8 million this fiscal year for a groundwater treatment system.

Rep. Dean Heller, R-Carson City, said the money is included in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2008 which passed the U.S. House of Representatives this week.

He said the water treatment system will ensure that safe drinking water is provided to employees and housing residents.

DETR director changes jobs to attend law school

Terry Johnson, head of the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, and the highest ranking black in state government, has asked for a demotion that will permit him to attend law school.

Johnson will become deputy director in the housing division of the Department of Business and Industry.

Gov. Jim Gibbons said Johnson requested the change to give him a lighter schedule so he can attend the Boyd School of Law in Las Vegas.

He has been with state government since 1966 when he was hired as assistant business advocate in Business and Industry. He also served five years as state labor commissioner and still sits as chairman of the Public Employees Benefits Program board.

His current salary is $120,000. His pay in his new post will drop to $76,908.

Johnson could not be reached for comment.

• Staff and news service reports